Serum neurofilament light chain predicts spinal cord atrophy in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder

Abstract

Levels of serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) and serum glial fibrillary acidic protein (sGFAP) are useful biomarkers of disease activity and disability in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). Here we investigated the association of sNfL and sGFAP levels with brain and spinal cord volumes in patients with NMOSD. Fifteen patients with NMOSD were enrolled in this prospective study. The median baseline level of sNfL was 42.2 (IQR, 16.1-72.6) pg/mL and decreased to 8.5 (IQR, 7.4-16.6) pg/mL at the end of the study. The reduction in sNfL was associated with a 7.5% loss of cervical spinal cord volume (CSCV) (p = 0.001). The levels of sGFAP reduced from 239.2 (IQR, 139.0-3393.3) pg/mL at baseline to 108.5 (IQR, 74.2-154.6) pg/mL. However, there was no strong correlation between sGFAP levels and CSCV changes during the follow-up period. Our data suggested that sNfL level is a useful biomarker for predicting spinal cord atrophy in patients with NMOSD.

Keywords: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder; Serum glial fibrillary acidic protein; Serum neurofilament light chain; Spinal cord atrophy.