2024 RNDS | Rare Neuroimmune Disorders: Diagnostic Criteria

At the 2024 RNDS, Dr. Shruti Mahale, a 4th year medical student at UT Southwestern, presented a project on patients with rare neuroimmune disorders and emphasized the challenges in diagnosing these conditions due to overlapping symptoms with other neuroimmune diseases [00:03:12]. The study involved a questionnaire to assess patients' understanding of their condition, revealing that individuals with idiopathic conditions scored lower on knowledge tests compared to those with better-characterized diseases [00:10:45]. It was noted that high health literacy and educational levels among respondents might not represent the broader population, suggesting the need for targeted educational resources [00:12:24]. The discussion with Dr. Kyle Blackburn also covered the evolution of diagnostic criteria for conditions like multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), and MOG antibody disease (MOGAD), stressing the importance of regular updates to improve early diagnosis and treatment [00:14:07]. Please note that the information shared during this session is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.

You can view the presentation slides here:
https://files.wearesrna.org/symposia/...

00:00 Introduction and Speaker Background
00:28 Overview of Rare Neuroimmune Disorders
01:41 Challenges in Diagnosing Neuroimmune Disorders
03:20 Study on Patient Understanding of Their Condition
03:30 Study Methodology and Demographics
04:54 Study Results and Conclusions
07:23 Importance of Diagnostic Criteria
09:11 Evolution of Multiple Sclerosis Criteria
10:46 Historical Perspective on Neuromyelitis Optica
14:07 Discovery and Impact of Aquaporin-4 Antibody
16:51 MOG Antibody Disease: A New Entity
21:31 Acute Flaccid Myelitis and Need for Updated Criteria
23:37 Conclusion and Final Thoughts