The French Cohort and Biobank of Devic's Neuromyelitis Optica and Related Neurological Disorders (NMOSD) (NOMADMUS)

Devic's neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is rare. Epidemiological and demographic data are poor, based mainly on monocentric cohorts. Moreover, NMO might be difficult to distinguish from multiple sclerosis and begin with atypical or incomplete clinical presentations. Therefore, NMO is still underdiagnosed. The constitution of a nationwide and prospective cohort, including not only NMO but also clinical syndromes suggestive of a first episode (DNMO-spectrum disorders (SDs)), should allow to gather a critical mass of cases and answer questions that could not have been addressed at the level of a single centre.

Objectives: The main objective is to describe the clinical, radiological and biological features of NMO spectrum disorder (NMO, isolated longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM), relapsing or not; isolated atypical optic neuritis (ON)) and their evolution. The second aim is to create a biobank dedicated to NMO (serum, whole blood for RNA and DNA extraction, cerebrospinal fluid), to promote translational research in the field. Methods: NOMADMUS is a prospective, multicentre, observational study of patients NMOSD and related disorder in France. Prevalent cases are included retrospectively and then followed prospectively. Incident cases are included from disease onset and followed prospectively. A minimal set of data has been defined and synthesized on specific paper forms derived from the European database for multiple sclerosis (EDMUS) forms. Patients are systematically tested regarding their AQP4-IgG and MOG-IgG status. All the data are centralised in a EDMUS-derived database in Lyon, the EDEN software. All cases are validated and classified by an expert committee.