Short term outcomes of the use of high dose intravenous methylprednisolone for acute optic neuritis in a central Anatolian population

Abstract

Aim: To describe the clinical characteristics and outcome of optic neuritis (ON) cases treated with high dose intravenous methylprednisolone (IVMP) in a tertiary referral clinic in Ankara, Turkey. Methods: Consecutive patients in the past 5 years with acute isolated ON, who were treated with IVMP and had a follow-up of at least 3 months, were reviewed. Symptoms and findings, results of brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), etiologies, visual outcomes, and side effects of the treatment were evaluated. Results: Etiological causes could be elicited in 57 (85.1%) of 67 patients; the most common of which was multiple sclerosis (MS). At least 1 MS-compatible white matter lesion was present on brain MRI in 31 (46.3%) patients. Seventeen (63.0%) of those with clinically definite MS (CDMS) had ON as the initial feature of their disease (25.4% of all patients). Early treatment was associated with better short term visual outcomes. Diagnosis of MS was more possible in patients with retrobulbar neuritis and MS patients achieved better short term visual outcomes than non-MS patients with IVMP. Conclusion: The majority of our cases were associated with MS and evidence from our study confirmed the short term benefit of the standard therapy in our population. © TÜBİTAK.