Purpose To investigate mitochondrial DNA (mt-DNA) mutations in optic neuritis of unknow reason (ONUR) and to assess the pathogenic and differential diagnostic values of screening for mt-DNA mutations in ONUR. Method Thirty patients with ONUR were screened for mt-DNA mutations by using SSCP,mutation-specific primer PCR and sequencing. Results mt-DNA mutations were found in 12 out of the thirty patients.All of the mutations were at 11778 position,but no one at 3460 and 15257. Conclusions Quite a number of patients (12/30,40%) with ONUR were caused actually by mt-DNA mutation．Screening for mt-DNA mutation in these patients has a pathogenic and differential diagnostic significance. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis,2000,16:78-79)
Optic neuritis (ON) is one of the symptom of a central nervous system demyelinating, systemic or infectious disease. The pathogenetic mechanism of ON is still not completely clear, and its core is inflammation and immune that occurred in the optic nerve axons, and apoptosis of RGC was induced. Few patients experience recurrent episodes after treatment, presenting a remission - recurrence course of polyphasic disease, named recurrent ON (RON). Two forms of RON have been assigned: recurrent isolated optic neuritis, which is a chronic corticosteroid-dependent optic neuropathy with intermittent acute relapses, and recurrent isolated optic neuritis, which is a non-progressive relapsing ON without steroid dependence. Recurrence of ON causes cumulative damage to the optic nerve lesions and impaired visual signal transmission, thus causing irreversible damage to vision. Therefore, it is very important to have a deep understanding of the pathogenesis of ON and the clinical characteristics of RON, so as to better conduct clinical treatment.
ObjectiveTo observe the thickness of per-papillary retinal fiber layer (pRNFL) and structural changes of inner macular segmented layers in optic neuritis (ON) patients with positive aquaporin-4 antibody[AQP4-Ab(+)]. Methods60 ON patients (84 eyes) including 30 of AQP4-Ab(+) ON patients (42 eyes) and AQP4-Ab(-) ON patients (42 eyes), and 40 age-gender matched health controls(80 eyes) were recruited in present study. There was no statistical significance in gender (χ2=0.568) and age (χ2=1.472) between the three groups (P > 0.05). There was no statistical significance in the percentage of different course (χ2=0.000) and logMAR best corrected visual acuity (Z=-1.492) between AQP4-Ab(+)ON and AQP4-Ab(-)ON group (P=1.000, 0.136). All subjects were examined by Spectralis-OCT. The thickness of per-papillary, nasal, nasal lower, temporal lower, temporal, temporal upper, nasal upper and papillomacular bundle (PMB) were analyzed as well as nasal pRNFL/temporal pRNFL (N/T). The macular area was divided into three concentric circles which including central region with 1 mm diameter, inner area with > 1 mm but≤3 mm diameter, and outer ring area with > 3 mm but≤6 mm diameter. The macular volume in each partition and volume in macular RNFL (mRNFL), macular ganglion cell layer (mRGCL), macular inner plexiform layer (mIPL) and macular inner nuclear layer (mINL) were analyzed. ResultsCompared to HC group, the thickness of pRNFL, every quadrants and PMB were decreased significantly in ON group (P=0.000); the macular volume and the volume of mRNFL, mRGCL, mIPL were also decreased significantly in ON group (P=0.000); but there was no statistical difference in mINL volume between two groups (P=0.700). Compared to AQP4-Ab(-)ON group, the thickness of nasal and nasal lower were decreased significantly in AQP4-Ab(+)ON group (P=0.010, 0.000); the macular and mIPL volume were also decreased significantly in AQP4-Ab(+)ON group (P=0.038, 0.033); the thickness of inferior, superior and inferior mIPL in outer ring area and nasal mRNFL in inner area were decreased significantly in AQP4-Ab(+)ON group (P < 0.05). ConclusionsCompared to AQP4-Ab(-)ON patients, the pRNFL thickness and mIPL volume decreased in AQP4-Ab(+)ON patients. The thinner pRNFL area is mainly located in nasal, nasal lower quadrants, and inferior, superior mIPL.
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.