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Publication Information
Affiliation
Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
Authors
Farrugia G, Iorio R, Lennon VA, Lucchinetti CF, Pasricha PJ, Pittock SJ, Weinshenker BG
Studies
Citation
Iorio R, Lucchinetti CF, Lennon VA, Farrugia G, Pasricha PJ, Weinshenker BG, Pittock SJ. Intractable nausea and vomiting from autoantibodies against a brain water channel. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2013 Mar;11(3):240-5. Epub 2012 Dec 1.Abstract
Antibodies against the water channel protein aquaporin (AQP)-4 cause a spectrum of inflammatory, demyelinating, central nervous system disorders called neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSDs); these primarily affect the optic nerves and spinal cord but also the brain. Symptoms of intractable nausea, vomiting, and hiccups reflect involvement of AQP4 in the brainstem area postrema and account for gastroenterological presentations. We investigated the frequency of intractable nausea, vomiting, or hiccups in patients with NMOSD who tested positive for immunoglobulin G against AQP4 (AQP4-IgG). We also analyzed sera from patients with idiopathic nausea or vomiting for the presence of AQP4-IgG.