Plasma exchange (PE) is a therapeutic blood component replacement method. The blood of patients is first separated into plasma and blood cell components using a blood cell separator in vitro, the plasma containing harmful pathogenic substances is then discarded and replaced with the same volume of exchange solution. Finally the separated blood cells together with the exchange solution are returned back to the blood circulation of patients. By reducing the circulating antibodies, abnormal plasma proteins or cytokines and other pathogenic molecules, PE can block the disease process. PE has a good therapeutic effect on neuromyelitis optica-related optic neuritis (NMO-ON), which shows resistant to glucocorticoid therapy for the first onset. The American Society for Apheresis guideline evaluates PE for acute optic neuritis as a recommended grade 1B, type II indication. In the implementation of PE treatment for NMO-ON and other diseases, indications and contraindications should be strictly adhered to the guideline, treatment procedures and protocols should be optimized, common adverse events and its prevention and management should be known and alerted. It is important to conduct multi-center clinical cooperation and a high standard clinical randomized controlled study, to find out the optimal time window, the best protocol, and the associated factors for the efficacy and prognosis of PE in NMO-ON.
ObjectiveTo observe the blood perfusion of optic nerve and macular areas and investigate its relationship with visual field defect in nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION).MethodsTwelve consecutive unilateral NAION patients (course of disease ＜3 months) and 12 healthy Chinese adults were enrolled in the study. The affected eyes and fellow eyes from 12 NAION patients were defined as group A and group B; 12 eyes from 12 healthy adults were defined as group C. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), indirect ophthalmoscope and computer optometry were performed on all of the three groups of patients. Visual field (VF) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were performed on NAION patients. Logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) was used to calculate visual acuity. Compared to group B, logMAR BCVA, mean deviation (MD) and pattern standard deviation (PSD) in group A were significant decreased (t=3.278, −4.909, 4.130, P＜0.05). There was no significant difference in spherical equivalent, IOP, peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (pRNFL) between group A and group B (t=0.000, 0.890, 1.215; P＞0.05). OCT angiography (OCTA) was used to measure the flow area (FA) at optic disc, flow area at radial peripapillary capillaries (RCFA) and FA, non-perfusion area (NFA), parafoveal vessel density (PVD) and parafoveal vascular index (PVI) in macular area. Pearson correlations between the deficiency of optic blood flow and visual field were analyzed.ResultsThe differences of FA at optic disc and peripapillary RCFA among 3 groups were significant (F=4.162, 3.357; P＜0.050). Compared to group B (t=−5.822, −7.467; P＜0.001) and C (t=9.435, 4.615, P＜0.05), FA at optic disc and peripapillary RCFA in group A was significantly reduced. There is several NAION showed quadrantal FA decreased in optic nerve. However, there was no significant difference in optic disc FA and peripapillar RCFA between group B and C (F=0.004, 0.030; P＞0.050). There was no differences of FA, NFA, PVD and PVI among 3 groups (F=0.488, 1.107, 0.493, 1.086, 1.098, 0.093, 1.093, 1.221; P＞0.05). Positive correlation between optic disc FA, peripapillary RCFA and MD (r=0.542, 0.585; P＜0.05) were observed. However, there was no significant correlation between optic disc FA, peripapillary RCFA and PSD (r=−0.404, −0.430; P＞0.05), and negatively correlated to BCVA (r=−0.617, −0.596; P＜0.05). PRNFL was negatively correlated to optic disc FA (r=−0.643, P＜0.05), but not correlated to peripapillary RCFA (r=−0.377, P＞0.05).ConclusionsThe optic disc blood flow reduced in affected eyes of unilateral NAION whose disease course was less than 3 months, while the macular perfusion was normal. There was a positive correlation between optic disc flow and visual field.
ObjectiveTo explore the clinical features, primary lesions and prognosis of optic nerve metastases.MethodsSeven patients (11 eyes) with optic nerve metastatic tumor diagnosed by the examinations of ophthalmology, laboratory and pathology in Chinese PLA General Hospital from April 2015 to September 2017 were included in this study. All patients underwent BCVA, flash VEP, OCT, orbital MRI, serum tumor marker, cerebral spinal fluid detection and PET-CT. Histopathological examination of primary or near superficial metastases was performed. The follow-up period was ranged from 16 to 44 months, with the mean of 23.0±10.9 months. The clinical characteristics, primary tumor, imaging features, treatment and clinical prognosis in the patients were analyzed.ResultsAmong 7 patients, there were 5 males and 2 females, with the mean age of 53.90±14.99 years; 3 patients with unilateral optic nerve involvement, 4 patients with bilateral optic nerve involvement; 5 patients (71.4%) first diagnosed in ophthalmology. Five patients (45.5%) were misdiagnosed as optic neuritis, optic disc edema in 6 eyes (54.5%). All of them appear loss of visual acuity, including 8 eyes (72.7%) with BCVA＜0.1, 2 eyes (18.2%) with BCVA 0.1-0.5, 1 eye (9.1%) with BCVA＞0.5. MRI results show that 1 patient with intraorbital segment, 1 patient with internal segment of optic canal, 4 patients with intracranial segment, 1 patient with intracranial segment and optic chiasma involved simultaneously, 4 patients involving surrounding tissue. There were 4 patients (57.1 %) with lung cancer, 2 patients (28.6%) with kidney cancer, 1 patient (14.3%) with gastric cance; 6 patients (85.7%) with metastasis from other sites, 2 patients with brain metastasis (1 patient with meningitis carcinomatosa). There were 2 patients (28.6%) with previous primary cancer surgery. After diagnosis, 1 patient received chemotherapy, 1 patient received radiotherapy, 5 patients gave up treatment. At the end of follow-up, 1 patient (1 eye) of chemotherapy with BCVA increased by 2 line; 1 patient (2 eyes) of radiotherapy with no change in BCVA; of the 5 patients who gave up treatment, 1 patient died of disease, 1 patient lost follow-up, and 3 patients (4 eyes) had no change in BCVA.ConclusionsWith atypically clinical manifestations, the optic nerve metastases easily misdiagnosed as optic neuritis, and with poor therapeutic effect. Primary lesions are mostly found in lung cancer.
Objective To observe the clinical characteristics of demyelinating optic neuritis (DON) in Chinese children under the age of 16. Methods A retrospective review of the medical charts of 42 pediatric patients with DON was conducted in this study. Twenty-two patients (52.4%) were male, and 20 patients (47.6%) were female. The patients aged from 3 to 15 years, with the mean age of (9.5±2.3) years. There were 35 bilateral patients and 7 unilateral patients. Twenty-seven patients (64.3%) had prodromal symptoms before onset. All patients underwent visual function and imaging tests, such as best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), fundus photography, visual evoked potential (VEP), visual field, MRI. The patients were tested for serum levels of antibodies for aquaporin 4 (AQP4) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) with a cell-based assay. All patients were received corticosteroid therapy. The mean follow-up was (1.17±0.42) years. The children who had coordination ability and with BCVA≥0.3 were received examination of Humphery automatic perimeter. Data were collected on the age, gender, clinical features, neuroimaging, serological specific antibodies, treatment and vision prognosis. Results 23.8% of the children were bilateral optic neuritis in onset stages. 64.2% were recurrent optic neuritis and 83.3% exhibited bilateral diseases eventually. BCVA had decreased to ≤0.1 in 87.0%% eyes and disc swelling was observed in 77.9% eyes during the onset stages. All eyes had visual field defects and abnormal VEP exam results, with delayed latency of P100 and P2, and varying degrees of amplitude reduction. Serum AQP4 antibody and MOG antibody were tested by cell-based assay, 2/42 children (4.7%) were positive for AQP4 antibody and 5/24 children (20.8%) were positive for MOG antibody. All of anti-AQP4+ and anti- MOG+ cases relapsed. All children underwent orbital magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), 40 cases (95.2%) showed demyelination features of optic nerve, and 5 cases (11.9%) showed long segments lesion (more than 1/2 length of the optic nerve). There were 2 anti-AQP4+ cases and 3 anti- MOG+ cases from the 5 cases with long segments lesion. MRI also showed brain demyelinating lesions in 4 children (3 of them were anti- MOG+) or spinal cord demyelinating lesions in 3 children (2 of them were anti- MOG+). After treatment with glucocorticoid, visual acuity improved in all eyes, of which 84.4% with BCVA≥0.5. Forty-eight eyes of 26 children accept dynamic visual field during the course of treatment, showed the vision abnormalities associated with optic nerve damage. Conclusions Children under the age of 16 with DON can experience severe visual impairment, higher recurrence tendencies, and higher rate of disc involvement, but good response to glucocorticoid therapy. AQP4 or MOG antibodies positive might be concurrent with brain and (or) spinal cord demyelinating lesions and indicated a poorer prognosis.
The first edition of “The Chinese expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of optic neuritis” have been published in Chinese Journal of Ophthalmology in 2014. Seven years later, more evidence-based medicine has been accumulated in the treatment of optic neuritis. It is necessary to update or formulate guidelines to guide clinical practice. Based on the methods and procedures for developing evidence -based guidelines, Neuro-Ophthalmology Group of Ophthalmology Branch of Chinese Medical Association and Evidence-based Medicine Centre of Lanzhou University/World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Guideline Implementation and Knowledge Translation created the first “An evidence-based guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of demyelinating optic neuritis in China (2021)”, which aimed to improve the level of clinical diagnosis and treatments of demyelinating optic neuritis. This guideline proposes a new subtype classification of demyelinating optic neuritis to guide precision treatment. It also gives new suggestions about clinical treatment hotspots in the acute and chronic phases, including the application of immunosuppressants and rituximab and other biological agents.
Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of repeated treatments with low-dose rituximab for relapsing neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). Methods A perspective study. 21 patients who were diagnosed with NMOSD one year ago were recruited for rituximab treatment. Of 21 patients, one was male, 20 were females. Onset age was 10 - 51 years, the mean onset age was (26.2±12.0) years. Duration of disease was 2.3 - 25.8 years, the mean duration was (9.2±5.9) years. Best corrected vision activity (BCVA), expanded disability status scale (EDSS), annualized relapsing rate (ARR) were valued to investigate the efficacy and safety of repeated treatments with low-dose rituximab. The BCVA was examined using Snellen chart, and converted to logMAR. The mean BCVA was 1.13±1.09, the mean BCVA in better eyes was 0.4±0.68, the mean BCVA in latter eyes was 1.87±0.90. The mean EDSS was 3.09±0.70. The mean ARR was 1.04±0.65. All patients underwent two cycles of RTX treatment. The annually induction treatment was RTX 100 mg per week for 4 weeks. Of 21 patients, 12 patients had treatment within one month after attack. The mean follow-up period was (28.4±4.9) months. The side effects were recorded, BCVA, EDSS, ARR were valued to investigate the efficacy and safety of repeated treatments with low-dose rituximab. Paired t test, independent sample t test and Chi-squared test were used. Results The mean BCVA at last follow-up was 0.62±0.91, the mean BCVA in better eye was 0.62±0.91, the BCVA in latter eye was 1.0±1.01. The mean EDSS was 2.26±1.07. The mean ARR was 0.21 ± 0.3. After the treatment, patient had significant improvement on BCVA in worst eye (t=4.256), ARR (t=2.900), EDSS (t=4.620) with the significant differences (P＜0.05).Thirteen relapses in 9 patients were observed. B lymph cells were more than 0.01% in all relapses. There was no significant difference on the BCVA in better eye (t=1.840, P＞0.05). There were 9 patients had relapse, 13 times in total. Of 13 relapses, B lymph cell count was performed in 12 relapses, and the counts were 0.01% - 0.14%. There were no significant difference between relapsed patients and non-relapsed patients on onset age (t=0.67, P=0.51), whether underwent plasma exchange treatment (χ2=1.61, P＞0.05), with/without auto-immune antibody ratio (χ2=1.61, P＞0.05). Of 21 patients, 8 patients had side effects, including 5 patients with infection, 4 patients with chest congestion, 3 patients with hair losing, 2 patients with skin rashes, headache and short of breath, 1 patient with tinnitus, palpitation and fatigue. Four patients had more than one symptom. Of all patients who had side effects, slowing down the infusion speed of RTX or infusing 5 mg of dexamethasone could relieve the discomfort. Conclusion Lose-dose rituximab reduces the frequency of NMOSD relapses and is well tolerated.
ObjectiveTo observe the clinical features and visual prognostic factors of ethambutol-induced optic neuropathy (EON).MethodsA cohort study. Twenty-four inpatients (46 eyes) identified as EON in Neuro-Ophthalmology Department of Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2014 to December 2017 were enrolled, including 14 males (26 eyes) and 10 females (20 eyes) with a ratio of 1.4/1 male/female. The average age was 42.79±15.12 years and the average weight was 62.46±12.31 kg. The average time duration between oral administration of ethambutol and occurrence of EON was 9.94±16.49 months. The average time of ethambutol duration was 7.06±11.68 months, with an average accumulative dose of 156.7±1 779.0 g and the average daily dose of 15.07±8.95 mg/(kg·d). All patients were tested with visual acuity, fundus photos, colour vision, OCT, visual field, VEP, orbital MRI and the gene of OPA1 and mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid (mtDNA). All the patients accepted drug withdrawal immediately after diagnosis, and were given the treatment of systemic nerve nutrition and improvement of microcirculation for 2 weeks. The time of follow-up was more than 12 months. According to whether the visual acuity (VA) in any of eyes was over than 0.1 at the last follow-up, all the patients were divided into two groups: the bad VA group (VA less than or equal to 0.1) and the better VA group (VA over than 0.1) group. The χ2 test and Fisher's exact probabilistic method test were used to compare the counting data between groups, and the Wlincox rank sum test was used to compare the measurement data. Multiple factors of VA outcome between the patients with bad or better va were analyzed by logistic regression.ResultsThirty eyes (65.2%) had VA less than or equal to 0.1 and 5 eyes (10.9%) had VA over than 0.5 at EON onset. The VA of the rest 11 eyes (23.9%) was higher than 0.1 and lower than 0.5. At the last follow-up, 20 eyes (43.5%) had VA less than or equal to 0.1 and 9 eyes (19.6%) had VA over than 0.5, the VA of the rest 17 eyes (36.9%) was higher than 0.1 and lower than 0.5. Fundus examination revealed 7 eyes (15.3%) with optic disc edema. OCT revealed significant loss of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in the affected eyes, mainly in the temporal RNFL of the optic disc. All patients had dyschromasia, mainly in distinguishing the color of red and green. The types of visual field defect was as following: central dark spot (52.2%), diffuse visual acuity decreased (30.4%), temporal hemianopsia (17.4%). Orbital MRI revealed that 12/24 (50.0%) patients had T2 lesions with T1 enhancement in 6/24 patients (25.0%). Genetic test showed that 4 patients (16.7%) had gene mutation. Among them, there were 2 patients with OPA1 mutation, 1 with mtDNA 14340 point mutation and 1 with the mtDNA 11778 point mutation. Thirteen patients showed better VA outcomes (over than 0.1) while 11 showed bad VA outcomes after discontinuation of ethambutol. Between the better VA group and the bad VA group, there were statistically significant differences in the daily dose of ethambutol and gene mutation (P=0.031, 0.023). The daily dose was related to visual prognosis of EON while only the daily dose of more than 18 mg/(kg·d) may lead to bad VA outcomes according to the logistic analysis (95% CI 0.007-0.736, OR=0.069, P=0.027).ConclusionsEON may have OPA1 and mtDNA mutation with more bilateral eyes involved and less optic edema, which about 43.5% of the patients showed irreversible visual impact. The daily dose of ethambutol is related to the vision recovery.
ObjectiveTo observe the clinical, radiographic features and prognosis of aquaporin-4 antibody positive pediatric optic neuritis (AQP4-PON).MethodsA retrospective case series. Twenty-three eyes of 14 children with AQP4-PON who were clinically confirmed in the Department of Ophthalmology of the First Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2015 to December 2018 were included in the study. All patients underwent BCVA, fundus color photography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). OCT was performed on 15 eyes of 10 patients, and the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layers (pRNFL), macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layers (mGCIPL) thickness of the affected eyes were measured. Cell-based indirect fluorescent immunoassay was used to detect serum AQP4 antibodies and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibodies. The follow-up time ranged from 28 to 59 months. The clinical, neuroimaging characteristics and prognosis of the children were analyzed.ResultsAmong 14 children, 2 were male (14.3%) and 12 were female (85.7%). The mean age of onset was 13.3 ± 3.0 years. On the first visit, there were 10 unilateral patients and 4 bilateral patients. The first manifestations were 11 patients of optic neuritis (78.6%), 2 patients of posterior pole syndrome (14.3%), and 1 patient of myelitis (7.1%). There were 10 patients (71.4%) with eye pain, and 5 patients (35.7%) combined with autoantibodies positive. When the first onset time was less than 2 weeks, fundus examination revealed disc edema in 7 eyes (38.9%). After 3 months, the average pRNFL and mGCIPL thickness of 15 eyes underwent OCT examination were 62.33 ± 11.07 and 54.17 ± 5.42 μm, respectively. Orbital MRI showed that the optic nerve showed a long T2 signal in 14 patients (100.0%) and 11 patients (78.6%) with T1 intensive lesions. When the first onset was less than 2 weeks, 16 eyes (88.9%) had BCVA≤0.1, and 7 eyes (38.9%) had BCVA≤0.1 and 9 eyes (50.0%) with BCVA≥0.5 after glucocorticoid treatment. Recurrence occurred in 11 patients during follow-up and was treated with immunosuppressive agents. At the last visit, in 14 patients, 9 eyes (64.3%) were involved in both eyes, and 5 patients (35.7%) progressed to neuromyelitis optica; in 23 eyes, 8 eyes (34.8%) had BCVA≥0.5.ConclusionsAQP4-PON patients are more common in women, severely impaired visual function, easy to relapse, and some patients will progress to neuromyelitis optica.
ObjectiveTo investigate the application of critical flicker fusion frequency (CFF) in non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). MethodsA cross-sectional study. From January 2021 to September 2021, a total of 58 NAION patients (105 eyes) (NAION group) and 33 cases (63 eyes) in the healthy control (HC) group were included from Department of Ophthalmology of First Medical Center, PLA General Hospital. Patients underwent best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), optical coherence tomography (OCT), visual field, CFF and flash visual evoked potential (F-VEP) examinations. BCVA examination was performed using a Snellen decimal visual acuity chart and was converted to logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution visual acuity. In the affected eyes group, there were 56 cases (72 eyes), 31 cases (43 eyes) male and 25 cases (29 eyes) female, with an average age of 49.28±11.42 years old. And the affected eyes were divided into 4 groups: ＜1, 1-＜3, 3-＜6 and ＞6 months according to the time interval from onset to CFF examination, which were 20 (27.8%), 26 (36.1%), 17 (23.6%) and 9 (12.5%) eyes, respectively. According to the BCVA ≥0.5, 0.1-0.5, ＜0.1 in CFF examination, the affected eyes were divided into a mild, moderate, and severe degree, 33 (45.8%), 32 (44.4%) and 7 (9.8%) eyes, respectively. Sixty-three eyes of 33 cases were in the HC group. There were 17 cases (31 eyes) males and 16 cases (32 eyes) females, with an average age of 35.18±10.96 years. Hand-held CFF detector type 2 (Japan, NEITZ company) was used for the CFF examination. The thickness of peripheral retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL), macular inner limiting membrane retinal pigment epithelium (mILM-RPE), F-VEP peak time and peak value and mean visual field defect (MD) values were recorded within 1 week of CFF examination. The CFF value of the above subgroups was analyzed in order using one-way ANOVA. Pearson correlation analysis was used for the correlation between CFF and F-VEP peak time, peak value, BCVA and MD. The correlations between BCVA, visual field, F-VEP, and CFF were analyzed. ResultsThe trichromatic values of red, green and yellow in NAION affected eyes were 22.56±10.30, 24.10±11.51, 24.81±11.41 Hz, respectively, which was significantly reduced compared with the HC group (t=－10.53,－11.11,－11.36; P＜0.05). There was no significant difference in CFF-red, green, and yellow values at different time points after the onset of the disease (F=2.075, 1.893, 2.073; P＞0.05). Compared CFF-red, green, and yellow values in NAION-affected eyes with different degrees, the difference was statistically significant (F=31.579, 27.332, 32.055; P＜0.05). The results of correlation analysis showed that the peak time of F-VEP (r=－0.362, －0.379,－0.357; P＜0.05), BCVA (r=－0.705,－0.695,－0.714; P＜0.05), and which was negatively correlated with CFF three color. MD and CFF were positively correlated (r=0.486, 0.435, 0.450; P＜0.05). ConclusionThe CFF value of the affected eye is decreased significantly in NAION-affected eyes, and CFF is more sensitive than F-VEP in reflecting visual impairment, and has a good correlation with visual function and latency of F-VEP.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the visual improvement of therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) for refractory optic neuritis (ON) patients in acute phase.MethodsSeventy-five affected eyes from 44 refractory ON patients with severe visual defect or resistance to high-dose intravenous methylprednisolone (IVMP) therapy, who were admitted to The Chinese PLA General Hospital between January 2015 and August 2016, were recruited and received TPE therapy. Among these patients, 11 were male and 33 were female; the average age was 39.1±13.9; 31 patients had two affected eyes, 13 patients had one affected eye. The course of the disease on the group of patients were more than 2 weeks, and the visual acuity worsened for more than 10 days and continued to deteriorate. TPE treatment was performed on all of the patients. BCVA was recorded before and 24 h after treatment, and the visual function was scored using visual outcome scale (VOS). At the same time, the adverse reactions of TPE treatment were observed. The paired t-test was used to compare the VOS before and after treatment. The correlation between VOS before and after treatment was analyzed by Linear-by-Linear correlation analysis.ResultsAmong 75 affected eyes, the post-therapy VOS 3.89±2.13 was significantly improved from pre-therapy VOS 5.56±1.69 (t=6.77, P＜0.001). Forty-eight of 75 eyes were improved at lease 1 score of VOS, the overall rate of visual improvement was 64.0%. Especially among the eyes with initial vision of light perception, an improved rate of 82.4% was presented. 75.0% in those eyes with initial vision of count fingers and 67.7% in no light perception. Linear-by-Linear correlation analysis showed a significant linear correlation between the scores of VOS before and after TPE treatment (r=0.398, P=0.01). During the course of TPE treatment, 5 patients had mild adverse reactions such as low calcium reaction and allergic reaction and were well controlled after treatment.ConclusionUsing TPE to treat refractory ON in acute phased can improve the visual function of patients.