Clinical Features and Outcome of Childhood Optic Neuritis at Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health
Somjit Sri-udomkajorn MD*, Kea Pongwatcharaporn MD*
Affiliation : * Division of Child Neurology, Queen Sirikit National Institute of Child Health, College of Medicine, Rangsit University, Bangkok, Thailand
Objective : To study the clinical features, treatment, outcome and factors affecting the outcome of optic neuritis in children.
Material and Method: Children under 16 years of age diagnosed with optic neuritis (ON) at Queen Sirikit National Institute
of Child Health over an 11-year period were reviewed. Demographic data, clinical characteristics, treatment and the outcome
were analyzed.
Results : Thirty-one patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Mean age of onset was 9.2 years. Female to male ratio was 1.8:1.
All cases had vision loss, bilateral 74.2% and monocular 25.8 %, including decreased color vision 35% disc edema 54.8%
and ocular pain 38.7%. The mean duration of follow-up was 20.38 months. The final diagnosis of these patients were 2
multiple sclerosis (MS), 2 neuromyelitis optica (NMO), 3 acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) and 24 or isolated
optic neuritis (ION). There was no statistically significant difference in gender, age of onset, number of ocular involvement,
severity of visual acuity impairment, presented preceding infection, associated symptoms, CSF pleocytosis, high protein in
CSF, abnormal brain or eye MRI. 93.3% of patients had clinical improvement, including 70% complete recovery visual acuity
of both eyes. The statistically significance was that complete remission in females was more than in males.
Conclusion : Childhood optic neuritis had bilateral vision loss and complete recovery. Females with optic neuritis had
statistical significance with complete recovery, more than males.
Keywords : Isolated optic neuritis, Multiple sclerosis, Clinical feature, Outcome
