Baseline demographics, clinical features, and treatment protocols of 240 patients with optic neuropathy: experiences from a neuro-ophthalmological clinic in the Aegean region of Turkey

The clinical profile of new-onset optic neuritis in arabs, a tertiary center experience in Kuwait

Background

Optic neuritis is an inflammatory disorder of the optic nerve and is often the initial manifestation of systemic demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optic spectrum disorder (NMOSD), and myelin-oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody-mediated disease. There are ethnic variations in the etiology of optic neuritis across the world. While multiple sclerosis is common in the West, NMOSD and MOG are more common causes in Asian patients. There is a paucity of reports on the clinical profile of optic neuritis in the Middle East.

Objectives

To study the demographic and clinical features of patients with new onset optic neuritis in a main tertiary care center.

Methods

A retrospective study of cases with new-onset optic neuritis at a tertiary care center between 2012 and 2022. The clinical and demographic characteristics were obtained from medical records and were summarized using descriptive statistics. Univariate analysis and multivariate analysis to assess the short-term visual outcome.

Results

Seventy-one patients with new-onset optic neuritis (70 unilateral and one bilateral) were included in the study. The mean age was 33.3 years, they were predominantly females (73 %), and most of the cases were MS (53 %) followed by idiopathic optic neuritis (42.3 %). Final visual acuity of at least 20/40 was seen in at least 91.5 %.

Conclusion

While the clinical profile of patients in this study closely resembles the Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial with a high incidence of MS and a good visual outcome in most patients and a good response to intravenous steroids, there is a significant proportion of idiopathic optic neuritis cases that may need to be better characterized with longer follow up and repeated serum biomarker testing.

Etiologies of Acute Optic Neuritis in Thailand: An Observational Study of 171 Patients

Purpose

To analyze the demographic patterns, clinical characteristics and etiologies of acute optic neuritis (ON).

Methods

This retrospective observational study included patients with acute ON who presented to a university hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, between January 2010 and March 2020. The demographic details, clinical characteristics and etiologies of acute ON were evaluated.

Results

A total of 171 patients were included in the study (78.4% [n=134] female; mean age 45 years [standard deviation 15.4 years]; 32.2% [n=55] bilateral involvement). The most common type of acute ON was idiopathic (51.5%), followed by neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD, 30.9%), other autoimmune disorders (9.9%), myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disorder (MOGAD, 5.3%), multiple sclerosis (MS, 1.8%), and postinfection (0.6%). In the other autoimmune disorders group, 2 patients developed systemic lupus erythematosus (1.2%), 2 Sjogren’s syndrome (1.2%), 1 RA (0.6%), 1 anti-NMDAR (0.6%), 3 anti-Jo1 (1.8%), 2 c-ANCA (1.2%), 1 anti-centromere (0.6%), and 5 nonspecific autoimmune disorders (2.9%). In the idiopathic group, 38.6% developed single isolated ON, 1.8% relapsing isolated ON and 11.1% chronic relapsing inflammatory optic neuropathy.

Conclusion

The most common form of acute ON in this study, similar to other Asian countries, was idiopathic. Idiopathic-ON shared some phenotypes with NMOSD and MOGAD. We also reported patients with anti-NMDAR, anti-Jo1, c-ANCA and anti-centromere disorders. Improvements in antibody detection have widened the range of possible etiologies of acute ON. The study highlighted the important role of antibodies in creating effective treatments in the future.

Acute Unilateral Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy Secondary to Optic Nerve Head Drusen: Report of a Rare Coexistence

A 45-year-old white male noticed on awakening the painless loss of inferior vision in the left eye 2 days ago. He was otherwise well and his medical history was unremarkable. Visual acuity was 20/20 in OD and 20/32 in OS with a left inferior altitudinal defect and right blind spot enlargement demonstrable on visual field test. On fundus examination, both disc margins were blurred and the left disc was diffusely oedematous, with linear haemorrhages in the adjacent nerve fibre layer. Radiologic imaging and laboratory tests were unremarkable. Bilateral optic nerve head drusen (ONHD) was demonstrated by optical coherence tomography and fundus autofluorescence imaging. Unilateral acute non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) and concomitant bilateral ONHD were diagnosed. NAION may develop secondary to ONHD. Therefore, clinicians should be aware of this rare association and inform the patients about this risk. Patients with ONHD should be followed-up periodically in terms of possible ischemic complications.