Objective To observe the clinical features and visual function of recurrent neuromyelitis optica (NMO). Methods Thirty-four patients with NMO were enrolled in this retrospective case series study. The patients included two males and 32 females. The average first onset age was (35.03plusmn;14.56) years old and the average recurrent rate were (4.24plusmn;2.45) times. The recurrent rate of optic neuritis (ON) ranged from two to 12 times. The recurrent rate of ON was two times in 15 eyes of 10 patients, ge;three times in 37 eyes of 24 patients. Vision acuity, direct ophthalmoscope, fundus pre-set lens examination, visual field and visual evoked potential (VEP) were evaluated. Clinical features were observed. The abnormal rate of optic nerve including optic edema and atrophy; abnormal rate of visual field including decreasing retinal sensitivity, central and paracentral scotoma, ring scotoma, half field defects, tunnel visual field, visual field centrality constriction; abnormal rate of VEP including Prolonged latent phase and/or decreasing amplitude of P100 wave from patients of first episode or recurrence was analyzed. Serum NMO-IgG was detected from 28 patients by indirect immunofluorescence technique to observe its positive rate. Results All patients were characterized by repeated episodes of ON and myelitis. The main clinical feature of ON was visual loss, and the main clinical features of myelitis included sensory disability, dyskinesia and vesicorectal disorder. Blindness rate was 41.67% after the first attack of ON, 33.33% after two relapses, and 64.86% after ge; three relapses. The difference of blindness rate between first attack and two episodes was not significant (chi;2=0.270,P=0.603). However, the blindness rate in patients having ge; three episodes was significantly higher than those having two episodes (chi;2=4.300,P=0.038). With recurrence rate increasing, the abnormal rate of the optic nerve (chi;2=6.750,P=0.034）and VEP（chi;2=6.990,P=0.030）increased. But the abnormal rate of visual field did not increase along with recurrent rate (chi;2=0.660,P=0.718). Seropositive rate of NMO-IgG did not differ significantly between patients with first attack ON and that with recurrent ON (chi;2=1.510,P=0.470). But the seropositive patients had significantly higher bilateral blindness rate than seronegative patients (chi;2=5.063,P=0.027). Conclusions NMO are characterized by recurrent ON and myelitis. Visual loss, sensory disability, dyskinesia and vesicorectal disorder are the main clinical features. With recurrence rate increasing, the blindness rate, abnormalities the optic nerve and the abnormity rate of VEP increase. Seropositive recurrent NMO patients have higher bilateral blindness rate than seronegative patients.
Objective To observe serum uric acid (UA) level of patients with optic neuritis (ON). Methods Thirty-nine patients with ON (ON group), 53 healthy control subjects (control group), 69 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS group) and 51 patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO group) matched in age and sex were enrolled in the study. In ON group, there were 25 patients with papillitis and 14 patients with retrobulbar type ON. Twenty-eight patients were first time onset while 11 patients were recurrent. The disease duration was less than a year for 28 patients, and over a year for the remainder. Venous blood samples were collected from all individuals in the morning after an overnight fast. UA concentration was measured by the urate oxidaseindirect peroxidase couple assay. Differences of UA concentration were comparatively analyzed among all the groups. UA levels between different genders, different groups, different lesion sites, recurrence and duration of ON were comparatively analyzed. Results Serum UA level in ON group was significantly lower than that in control group (t=3.16,P＜0.05). However, no significant differences were found between ON and MS, ON and NMO, MS and NMO group (t=0.26, 0.94, 1.36;P＞0.05). Serum UA level was significantly lower in female than in male in all groups (F=6.27, 16.20, 21.09, 11.96;P＜0.05). In male and female patients of ON group, UA levels were significantly lower when compared with same gender in control group(t=2.13, 3.04;P＜0.05). However, no differences (P＞0.05) were found between ON and MS of same gender (t=0.25, 0.59), ON and NMO of same gender (t=0.33, 0.63), MS and NMO of same gender (t=0.63, 1.41). Patients with recurrent ON had lower serum UA level than that with first episodes (F=2.73). Patients with duration of over a year had lower serum UA level than that with duration of less than a year (F=0.23). Patients with retrobulbar neuritis also had lower serum UA level than that with papillitis (F=0.76). But the differences were not significant (P＞0.05). Conclusions A reduced serum UA level is found in patients with ON compared with healthy control. But serum UA level is not correlated with recurrence, lesion site or duration of disease.
Objective To detect the color damage in patients with idiopathic optical neuritis (ION) after the treatment.Methods A total of 26 ION patients (44 eyes) with ION whose visual acuity were above 1.0 were collected. All the patients had undergone the treatment of incretion and had the visual acuity more than 1.0 after the treatment.The results of MRI and blood examination were normal. Another 24 healthy persons were selected as the normal control. Total error scores (TES) and each error score of red, green and blue were measured via Farnsworth Munsell100 hue tester. The TES origin scores and their square roots were used for a statistical analysis. The results of the two groups were compared.Results There weresignificant differences in TES and its square roots between ION group and the normal control group (t=3.079，3.133；P=0.0033，0.0026).The differences in the level of error scores of each color between the tow groups were not significant (t=1.91,1.15,1.62; P=0.061,0.26,0.11);but the differences in the square roots of red color between the two groups were statistically(t=2.21,P=0.031).Conclusion After the treatment,the visual acuity of ION patients increases,but the color damage still exist; red color damage happens first.
Objective To observe the results of function MRI and perimetry in patients with visual pathway diseases.Methods Three patients (6 eyes) with pituitary adenoma and craniopharyngioma diagnosed via pathological examination and three healthy volunteers aged from 24 to 30 were collected. The best corrected visual acuity was nonlight perception1.0 in the 6 sick eyes and 1.0 in the healthy eyes; all the involved individuals had no other ocular diseases except myopia and without any contraindications of MRI. Common tests including the best visual acuity, fundus test by direct or indirect ophthalmoscope, center static visual field tested by Octopus 101 perimeter, program 32, tendency oriented perimetry were performed. The visual stimulation subtended a field of view of about 12 degrees，consisted of high contrast and drifting checkerboards. MRI parameters: GE signa VH/i 30T scanner. Functional data: GRE-EPI sequence，20 slices lying perpendicular to the calcarine sulcus. Anatomical data was obtained using 3DSPGR sequence to acquire high resolution. The cortical surface was unfolded and then cut and inflated. Functional data was presented to the inflated surface and subsequently analyzed by AFNI software.Results In six eyes, three had temporal defects, two had upper temporal visual field defects, and the other one did not finish the visual field test. The retinotopic representations of health adults were obtained by using the phaseencoded visual stimulation. The Eccentricity coordinate maps showed that foveal representations lay in the occipital poles and the representations appeared further anterior as eccentricity increased. The polar angle coordinate maps showed that early retinotopically organized areas had a representation of visual field. The visual cortex beneath the calcarine sulcus matched with the upper visual field of the opposite side and which upon the calcarine sulcus matched with the under visual field of the opposite side. Less or no visual cortex response was revealed in the patients′ function MRI or the response in injury side was vanished. The visual cortex response related with the visual field defects could not be induced in function MRI.Conclusion There is a good correlation between function MRI data and the results of perimetric evaluation. The function MRI can show the visual cortex response correlated with the visual field defects of the patients with visual pathway diseases.
Objective To explore underlying causes of presumptive optic neuritis (ON) in children. Methods Retrospective study of continuous cases with presumed diagnosis of optic neuritis in childhood. Results 104 cases(65.8%) met ON criteria in this cohort of children, among wh ich 80 cases (76.9%) were considered as idiopathic demyelinating optic neuritis (IDON). Infectious optic neuritis and inflammatory optic neuropathy were found on 3 cases respectively. The cause of 18 cases remains unknown. Leber hereditary optic neuropathy and non-organic visual acuity loss account most of the 54 case s misdiagnosed as optic neuritis. Conclusions As in adult patients, idiopathic demyelinating optic neuritis is the most common pathogeny of optic neuritis in children, while infectious events were more common in children. Leber hereditary optic neuropathy and nonorganic visual acuity loss were the most common disease confused with optic neuritis in childhood. Some rare disease in childhood which can cause optic nerve lesion should also be considered. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2008,24：95-98)
Objective To investigate the etiological distribution of the patients with optic neuritis in China and compare the results with those in western countries. Methods Ophthalmological and neurological detailed clinical and laboratorial examinations were performed on 204 patients with primarily diagnosed optic neuritis (ON). We determined the etiologies using international accepted diagnostic criteria. Results Among 113 patrents with ON, 83(73.5%) were considered as with idiopathic demyelinating optic neuritis ( IDON). Sinusitis was common in these patients but was considered to be the probable cause of ON only in 4. Tuberculo-meningitis caused ON was found in 2 cases and syphilitic ON in 1. The causes of 23 cases (20.4%) were unknown. Conclusions Idiopathic demyelinating ON is the most common pathogeny of ON. Despite of some minor differences of causes and prognosis, the etiology of presumed ON in our population is similar to that reported in western countries. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis,2006,22:367-369)