Devic's Disease

Treatment

Treatment of Devic's disease involves primarily the use of medications and plasma exchange.

Intravenous Steroids and Oral Medications

In the early stage of the disease steroids, (given through a vein in the arm) are used to manage acute attacks of Devic's disease.

Medications

Intravenous methylprednisolone is used to manage acute attacks of Devic's disease. Then, combinations of prednisone and azathioprine (or azathioprine alone) are used to prevent future attacks. Depending on the situation, other immune suppressant medications are sometimes used to prevent recurrent attacks.

No controlled clinical trials have proven effectiveness of any long-term treatment. It is currently unknown whether interferon or glatiramer acetate, which are useful in preventing attacks in MS patients, is effective in Devic's disease.

Plasma Exchange

Research at Mayo Clinic suggests that patients who fail to respond to intravenous steroids who have had acute, recent, severe attacks, may rapidly improve after plasma exchange, a procedure that involves removing some blood and mechanically separating the blood cells from the fluid (plasma). Blood cells then are mixed with a replacement solution, typically albumin or a synthetic fluid with properties like plasma. The solution with the blood is then returned to the body. This works in approximately 40 percent of patients who have severe inflammatory demyelinating diseases including Devic's disease.