Update in pediatric optic neuritis:

A STUDY ON CLINICAL PROFILE AND OUTCOME OF VISUAL PARAMETERS OF OPTIC NEURITIS PATIENTS IN A TERTIARY EYE CARE CENTRE

Introduction: Optic neuritis (ON) is the inflammation of the optic nerve secondary to autoimmune, infectious, or inflammatory conditions. Objective: The objective is to study the clinical profile and changes in visual parameters after the treatment of patients with ON. Methods: This prospective interventional research was done at the ophthalmology department of a tertiary eye care center. 36 cases diagnosed with ON have been analyzed, treated, and followed up for 1 year, for the type of clinical presentation, rate of recurrence, and changes in visual parameters. Results: The prevalence rate was bimodal, more common among age groups between 46 and 55 years at 32% and age group 16–25 at 27%. A higher prevalence rate was seen in females in 63% of cases. The bilateral presentation was observed in 18%. 44% of cases presented as retrobulbar neuritis (RBN) whereas 56% were as papillitis. At 1 year follow up Optic disc edema suggestive of papillitis was seen in 17% of cases, normal disc with RBN in 44% and disc pallor in 32% discs. At the final follow-up after 1 year, 75% of patients could read maximum (10/13) color plates, 64% of cases showed standard contrast sensitivity and 47% showed normal visual field. VA of 6/60 or worse at presentation was seen in 53% cases and <6/12 in (84%) cases which improved to better than 6/12 in 58% cases and better than 6/60 in 67% cases at final follow up at 1 year. The most common visual field abnormality at presentation was generalized field constriction in (34%), central or centrocecal scotoma in (18%), hemianopia or quadrantanopia (12%), and enlarged blind spot in (06%) cases. During the final follow-up at 1 year, 22 cases (61%) showed normal field. Visual Field could not be tested in (30%) at presentation as vision was <3/60, although visual evoked potential was abnormal in all of 36 (100%) cases with mean P 100 latency being 128 ms. Furthermore, 3 (8%) cases demonstrated additional neurological symptoms till the final follow-up and were subsequently identified to be multiple sclerosis (MS). Recurrence rate was 08 (22%) within 1 year follow-up, of which 06 (17%) cases were clinically RBN and 02 (05%) were papillitis. Conclusion: In our study, findings of clinical profile and visual outcomes of ON patients were different from that of Western studies as well as from those done previously in the Indian population, notably lesser prevalence of MS, although other differences were not very significant.

Pediatric Optic Neuritis: Description of Four Cases and Review of the Literature

Pediatric optic neuritis (PON) may be a clinically isolated and self-limiting event or may present in the context of underlying neurologic, infective, or systemic disease. PON has a high impact on the quality of life as it may or may not evolve into other acquired demyelinating syndromes (ADSs), such as multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optica (NMO), or other syndromes related to the myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein IgG antibodies (MOG-IgG). These different PON phenotypes present variable clinical and radiological features, plasma and liquor biomarkers, and prognosis. We describe four pediatric cases presenting clinically with ON, with different etiopathogenetic pictures: one case had a probable infective etiology, while the others were associated with different demyelinating disorders (MS, NMO, syndrome related to MOG-IgG). We discuss the possible evolution of presenting ON in other ADSs, based on recent literature. A careful evaluation of the clinical and investigation findings and the natural course of PON is necessary to define its pathogenic pathway and evolution. Further prolonged follow-up studies are needed to highlight the predictors of PON evolution, its potential sequelae, and the best treatment options.

Optic neuritis associated with anti-NMDA receptor antibody in the remission phase of anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis

Optic neuritis is an inflammatory demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system. Anti-NMDA receptor (NMDAR) antibodies encephalitis is also mediated by the inappropriate immunological response. We report a girl who was readmitted because of unilateral eye pain and vision impairment in the remission period of anti-NMDAR encephalitis. Based on the limited available literature on the treatment of optic neuritis associated with anti-NMDA receptor antibody, she was treated with a combination of corticosteroids and intravenous immunoglobulin with clinical improvement. Optic neuritis in the remission phase of anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis remains relatively uncommon. It is important to document and follow these patients to understand the pathogenesis of optic neuritis in the setting of anti-NMDAR encephalitis and formulate effective therapeutic strategies.

Visual Outcomes and Clinical Manifestations of Pediatric Optic Neuritis in Indian Population: An Institutional Study

BACKGROUND

Optic neuritis in children is an uncommon disorder which usually occurs after a viral illness or vaccination and, less frequently, occurs as a manifestation of a demyelinating disorder. Pediatric optic neuritis usually is bilateral and presents with optic disc edema, recovers rapidly with steroid therapy, and generally has low conversion rate to multiple sclerosis or neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder. We report the clinical features and treatment outcomes of pediatric optic neuritis in Indian population, for which little data are available.

METHODS

We reviewed the medical case records of patients with optic neuritis who were younger than 18 years, from 1999 to 2016. All patients were assessed and managed in the Neuro-Ophthalmology Department of Sankara Nethralaya, a unit of Medical Research Foundation and Pediatric Neurology Department of Kanchi Kamakoti-Childs Trust Hospital, Chennai, India.

RESULTS

One hundred seventeen eyes of 78 children with mean age of 11.84 (±4.58) years were identified. Forty-two (53.8%) were females and 36 (46.2%) were males. Thirty-nine patients (50%) had bilateral involvement and a similar number had unilateral involvement. Fifty-nine eyes (50.4%) had optic disc edema, 20 eyes (17.1%) had disc pallor, and 38 eyes (32.4%) had normal discs. Of 63 patients who had neuroimaging, 36 had MRI, and 27 underwent computed tomography. Eighty-four eyes (of 59 patients) received steroid therapy according to the protocol of the Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial (ONTT). Thirty-three eyes that were treated with other steroid protocols were excluded from the final visual outcome analyses. Sixty of the 84 eyes (72.3%) recovered visual acuity of 20/40 or better. Visual acuity improvement was statistically significant between initial and final visual acuity (logMAR) in our patients treated with the ONTT protocol (P ≤ 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our Indian pediatric population had good visual recovery after steroid treatment for optic neuritis. Profound loss of visual acuity on presentation and bilateral involvement were significantly associated with poor visual outcome.

Pediatric optic neuritis

Optic neuritis in the pediatric population greatly differs from its presentation in the adult population. Firstly, it is usually bilateral in children and mostly unilateral in adults. (1,2,3) Second, it is generally associated with inflammation of the optic disc in pediatrics (1,2,3), whereas the inflammation is often retrobulbar in adults. (2) Finally, pediatric optic neuritis is often considered a post-infectious condition that is not usually associated with the subsequent development of multiple sclerosis (MS) (4,5,2), while in adults, the demyelinating event often precedes the clinical onset of MS. (6)

The prevalence and prognostic value of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody in adult optic neuritis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Adult demyelinating optic neuritis (ON) with positive myelin-oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody (MOG-Ab) has distinct clinical features. This study aimed to investigate the point prevalence, relationship with steroid dependency and prognosis value of MOG-Ab in adult ON.

METHODS

Clinical data analysis was undertaken in adults with ON admitted between December 2014 and January 2016. Patients were classified into three groups based on aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4-Ab) and MOG-Ab status: AQP4-ON, MOG-ON and seronegative-ON.

RESULTS

A total of 158 adults with ON (190 eyes) were assessed, including 31 MOG-ON (19.6%), 67 AQP4-ON (42.4%) and 60 seronegative-ON (38.0%) cases. The female-to-male ratio was significantly lower in MOG-ON (1.8:1) than that in AQP4-ON (8.6:1) groups (p = .005). The median age, percentage of bilateral ON and visual loss at the nadir at onset was similar among the three groups. Thirty-eight eyes (76%) in the MOG-ON group showed good visual recovery (>20/40) in the final visit, which is statistically better than that in the AQP4-ON and seronegative-ON groups (p < .001 and p = .006, resoectively). Fifteen adults with ON (9.5%) showed dependency on steroid, which was particularly prominent in the MOG-ON group (11/31, 35.5%) and rarely presented in the AQP4-ON (2, 3.0%) and seronegative-ON (2, 3.3%) groups. Results suggested less loss of pRNFL in MOG-ON than that in AQP4-ON group (p < .001), and a larger proportion of canalicular segment involved in MOG-ON adults (p = .007 and p < .001).

CONCLUSION

MOG-ON had the smallest proportion of acute demyelinating ON in Chinese adults. One third of adults with MOG-ON predominantly showed a substantial dependency on steroids and relapse on steroid reduction or cessation, which rarely presented in AQP4-ON and seronegative-ON adults.

Clinical characteristics and prognosis of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-seropositive paediatric optic neuritis in China

BACKGROUND/AIMS

To investigate clinical characteristics and prognosis of paediatric optic neuritis (PON) in patients seropositive for myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody (MOG-Ab) in China.

METHODS

Children displaying initial onset of optic neuritis (ON) were recruited from the Neuro-ophthalmology Department in the Chinese People's Liberation Army General Hospital from January 2016 to August 2017. They were assigned into three groups based on antibody status: MOG-Ab-seropositive ON (MOG-ON), aquaporin-4 antibody-seropositive ON (AQP4-ON) and double seronegative ON (seronegative-ON).

RESULTS

Totally 48 patients were assessed, including 25 MOG-ON (52.1%), 7 AQP4-ON (14.6%) and 16 seronegative-ON (33.3%). The MOG-ON and seronegative-ON cohorts had equal ratios of female/male, but the AQP4-ON cohort was predominantly females (100%). The patients with MOG-ON were significantly younger at onset compared with the AQP4-ON group. Of the MOG-ON eyes, 97.6% had good recovery of visual acuity (VA) (≥0.5) compared with33.3% of AQP4-ON eyes (p<0.001). However, there was no significant difference compared with the seronegative-ON eyes (82.6%, p=0.052). Two children in the MOG-ON group ended up being diagnosed with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, while only one patient in the AQP4-ON group developed neuromyelitis optica during follow-up. Patients with MOG-ON had thicker peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layers overall and in the superior and inferior quadrants than in patients with AQP4-ON (p=0.005, p=0.002 and p=0.024, respectively). In addition, the macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform in MOG-ON eyes became significantly thicker than in AQP4-ON eyes (p=0.029). Orbital MRI revealed a larger proportion of patients with MOG-ON had intracranial optic nerve involvement than patients with seronegative-ON (51.2% vs 17.4%, p=0.009).

CONCLUSION

MOG-ON was the most common PON subtype in China. MOG-ON had different clinical features including earlier age of onset, equal female/male ratio, better recovery of VA and thicker peripapillary retinal nerve fibre and macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layers. MOG-Abs may be a potential biomarker for determining visual prognosis with PON.

Optic Nerve

Optic nerve diseases arise from many different etiologies including inflammatory, neoplastic, genetic, infectious, ischemic, and idiopathic. Understanding some of the characteristics of the most common optic neuropathies along with therapeutic approaches to these diseases is helpful in designing recommendations for individual patients. Although many optic neuropathies have no specific treatment, some do, and it is those potentially treatable or preventable conditions which need to be recognized in order to help patients regain their sight or develop a better understanding of their own prognosis. In this chapter several diseases are discussed including idiopathic intracranial hypertension, optic neuritis, ischemic optic neuropathies, hereditary optic neuropathies, trauma, and primary tumors of the optic nerve. For each condition there is a presentation of the signs and symptoms of the disease, in some conditions the evaluation and diagnostic criteria are highlighted, and where possible, current therapy or past trials are discussed.

Clinical Features and Visual Outcomes of Optic Neuritis in Chinese Children

Purpose. Although optic neuritis (ON) in children is relatively common, visual outcomes and factors associated with the condition have not been well documented. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical features and visual outcomes of ON in Chinese children. Methods. Patients with a first episode of ON at a tertiary neuroophthalmic centre in China were assessed and followed up for at least three months. Visual outcomes and clinical, laboratory, and neuroimaging findings were reviewed. In patients with bilateral ON, only the eyes with worse visual acuity (VA) at presentation were used for statistical analysis. Results. Seventy-six children (76 eyes) with a first episode of ON were included. The mean age was 11.8 years, 60.5% were females, and 48.7% had bilateral involvement. The children were followed up for an average of 18.5 months (age range, 3-48 months). Vision loss at presentation was severe, with VA < 20/200 in 37 eyes (48.7%). At the final visit, 3 (3.9%) eyes had VA of at least 20/20, and 41 (53.9%) eyes had VA of at least 20/40. The final VA in 35 eyes (46.1%) was worse than 20/40. Children aged ≤ 10 years had better predicted visual outcomes when compared to children over 10 years (odds ratio = 2.73, 95% confidential interval: 1.05-7.07, and P = 0.039). The other features of this cohort, such as sex, experienced bilateral attack, VA at presentation, presence of optic disc edema, systemic diseases, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, and aquaporin-4 (AQP-4) antibody status, were not significantly correlated with the final visual outcome. Conclusion. The data revealed the clinical characteristics and visual outcomes of ON in Chinese children. ON in children was associated with severe vision loss and relatively good visual recovery. The age at onset could predict the final visual function.

Multiple sclerosis in the very young: a case report and review of the literature

Onset of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the very young (<10 years) is uncommon. We describe a 2 year old girl with MS, the youngest reported case in the USA. She presented to an outside hospital with acute onset of ataxia on three occasions before presenting to our institution, initially misdiagnosed as acute disseminated encephalomyelitis and treated with intravenous methylprednisolone. MRI of the brain during each presentation revealed new areas of demyelination. Initial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) studies and MRI of the spine were normal. Repeat MRI of the brain at our institution, 7 months later, revealed new demyelinating lesions and CSF analysis revealed elevated myelin basic protein, negative oligoclonal band and neuromyelitis optica immunoglobulin and normal IgG synthesis. Her clinical presentation with multiple relapses and new MRI findings validated the diagnosis of MS.

Pediatric optic neuritis: does a prolonged course of steroids reduce relapses? A preliminary study

BACKGROUND

Optic neuritis is an important pediatric disorder causing visual impairment. Because of the absence of pediatric-specific studies, data extrapolated from the adult-based optic neuritis treatment trial are used to guide management of pediatric patients. Recent literature promotes a prolonged course of oral steroids to prevent relapses. However, there are no published data to support this view. Patients who were recently treated in our hospital received a longer course of steroids, relative to those treated several years ago. We hypothesized that a longer course of steroids results in fewer relapses and better final visual acuity.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of 26 consecutive patients (age 4.5-19 years) treated for optic neuritis within the past 10 years was conducted. Patients received either a short course (2 weeks) or a prolonged course (more than 2 weeks) of steroids. Some patients were not treated. Mean follow-up was 70 weeks (3 weeks-10 years). Comparisons were made among the groups receiving 2 weeks of steroid treatment (16 of 26 patients) and greater than 2 weeks of steroid treatment (seven of 26 patients) to evaluate relapse rate, eventual visual acuity, and reported side effects.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in the relapse rates, reported side effects, and final visual acuity in the two treatment groups.

CONCLUSIONS

In this cohort, a prolonged course of steroids was not associated with reduced relapse rate, increased side effects, or improved visual outcome. This cohort was small, but the results do not identify any reason to deviate from the common approach of optic neuritis treatment, which is 2 weeks of steroids.

Optic neuritis associated with influenza B virus meningoencephalitis

Various postinfectious neurological manifestations have been described associated to influenza viruses. Optic neuritis is a serious, often reversible disease reported among several infectious diseases and vaccines complications. We report a case of optic neuritis following an influenza B virus infection in a 10-year-old male.