Smoking status and vascular risk factors as predictors of disability in AQP4-NMOSD and MOGAD

BACKGROUND: Smoking and vascular risk factors (VRFs) are reported to have adverse effects in multiple sclerosis but data are limited in aquaporin-4 antibody-positive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (AQP4-NMOSD) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease (MOGAD). This study aimed to measure their impact on disability.

METHODS: Smoking status was defined as never, past or current smokers and VRF comprised of ⩾1: hypertension, dyslipidemia, high body mass index or diabetes. Logistic regression models were fitted to predict their influence on recovery from onset attack and first optic neuritis (ON) attack.

RESULTS: A total of 442 patients were included. Current MOGAD smokers had a higher risk of disability from onset attack and first ON attack than never smokers (odds ratio (OR) 2.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3-6.9; OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.4-7.8). VRF in MOGAD was not predictive of disability. Current AQP4-NMOSD smokers and VRFs had a higher risk of residual disability from onset attacks (OR 7.5, 95% CI 2.1-27.7; OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.0-3.4). VRF was associated with higher risk of visual disability (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.08-6.46) while smoking status was not.

CONCLUSIONS: Current smoking status detrimentally influenced onset attack recovery in AQP4-NMOSD and MOGAD patients, including visual recovery in MOGAD. Non-smoking VRFs influenced clinical and visual outcomes in AQP4-NMOSD.