Optic Neuritis in the Older Chinese Population: A 5-Year Follow-Up Study

Objective. this study aims to describe the clinical manifestations and outcomes in a cohort of older chinese patients. method. a retrospective study of patients aged ≥ 45 years who had a first episode of optic neuritis (on) between may 2008 and november 2012. clinical features at onset and last follow-up were analyzed within subgroups (age 45-65 years and age ≥ 65 years). results. 76 patients (99 eyes) were included,of which 58% were females. the mean age at presentation was 55.53 ± 8.29 years (range: 45-83 years). vision loss was severe at presentation,with initial best corrected vision activity (bcva) < 20/200 in 93% and final bcva < 20/200 in 53% of patients at 5-year follow-up. final bcva significantly correlated with the initial bcva and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer. at last follow-up,14.5% were diagnosed with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (nmosd),1.3% were diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (ms),5.2% with chronic relapsing inflammatory optic neuropathy,1.3% with infectious on,and 19.7% with autoimmune on. none of the elderly group (≥65 years) developed nmosd or ms. conclusion. chinese patients in the age group ≥ 65 years with on are less likely to develop nmosd or ms. notwithstanding,they had more severe visual loss at onset and poor recovery. © 2017 junqing wang et al.