Plasmapheresis Linked to Improved Outcomes for MOGAD Attacks

THURSDAY, July 23, 2026 (HealthDay News) — For myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) attacks, plasmapheresis appears to be associated with improved outcomes, especially in isolated optic neuritis, according to a study published online July 22 in Neurology.

Marina Vilardo, M.D., from Harvard Medical School in Boston, and colleagues examined the effectiveness and safety of plasmapheresis in individuals with acute MOGAD attacks in a systematic review, including 10 publications with 1,045 patients and 1,368 attacks. The analyses included data from eight studies with 710 patients and 1,033 attacks.

The researchers found that plasmapheresis was associated with significant improvement in visual acuity assessed by logMAR in patients with optic neuritis (mean difference, 1.43) and an excellent recovery rate (81 percent). A smaller, but clinically meaningful improvement in logMAR was seen in a subgroup analysis of steroid-refractory attacks. The rate of good recovery after plasmapheresis was also high (94 percent) in presentations including myelitis and/or cerebral involvement. Adverse effects related to plasmapheresis were rare (3 percent). High heterogeneity was seen reflecting study design, treatment timing, and attack severity variability.

“This analysis suggests that plasma exchange should be considered for people who do not respond completely to steroid treatment for MOGAD and for people who have severe attacks with symptoms such as complete loss of vision or paralysis,” Vilardo said in a statement.

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