Our understanding of the underlying etiology of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is limited. In some cases, NMOSD appears after an infection or in association with another autoimmune condition, but the cause is usually unknown. Dalia Rotstein, MD, MPH, St. Michael's Hospital and the University of Toronto, Toronto, shares the findings of a Canadian national case control study aiming to address this knowledge gap and determine risk factors for NMOSD. A total of 109 patients with aquaporin-4 positive (AQP4+) NMOSD completed the EnvIMS questionnaire and were matched to 319 control subjects. The study demonstrated that non-white ethnicity was strongly associated with increased risk of NMOSD. NMOSD was also positively associated with comorbid autoimmune disease. This interview took place at the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) congress 2021.

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