Here It Happens – Hospital Metropolitano de Alagoas is a reference in the treatment of rare and autoimmune diseases

The Hospital Metropolitano de Alagoas (HMA), in Maceió, is the only state hospital that is a reference in the treatment of patients with neuromyelitis optica, an inflammatory autoimmune disease of the central nervous system. The assistance provided by the hospital unit, which is linked to the State Department of Health (Sesau), occurs both during the hospitalization and post-discharge phase.

Neurologist Samyra Vital, area supervisor at HMA and responsible for the Demyelinating Diseases Outpatient Clinic, where patients undergo post-discharge treatment, explained that the outpatient clinic is the only one in the Unified Health System (SUS) in Alagoas prepared to receive patients. with neuromyelitis.

“It is important to talk about the disease because it is little known and has serious consequences for the patient. The main way to diagnose it is to know its symptoms to recognize it and carry out the appropriate tests. The ones we use most are magnetic resonance imaging, cerebrospinal fluid examination and antibody measurement”, explained the specialist.

According to the neurologist, neuromyelitis optica is an autoimmune neurological disease, which generally affects black and young women. It can compromise the optic nerve, spinal cord and brain, the latter, to a lesser extent in cases.

“The patient may experience visual changes and even blindness in both eyes. And, in relation to the spinal cord, changes in strength, numbness, tingling and even difficulties when walking, in addition to changes in the control of urine and feces”, specified the doctor.

The treatment is carried out in two phases and consists, according to Samyra Vital, of applying high-dose corticosteroids during the outbreak, or even performing plasmapheresis, a procedure that filters the patient’s blood. “After discharge, this patient is monitored in an outpatient clinic to take medications that modulate the immune system and prevent him from having new outbreaks”, she specified.

Neuromyelitis optica is also called Devic’s disease, and for a long time it was identified as a type of multiple sclerosis. It is a disease with great disabling potential if not identified and treated early.

Awareness

Celebrated on March 27, Neuromyelitis Optica Awareness Day is in line with the day adopted in other countries, where the color green has been used to signal the fight for people with the disease, the Green March. Celebrating the date helps health professionals and institutions across the country be able to identify disease occurrences more quickly and efficiently, enabling appropriate and early treatment.

per Sesau Alagoas