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  • Aquaporin-4 serostatus plays a minimal role in optic neuritis outcomes

    Neuro-Ophthalmology/Orbit

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    Researchers investigated differences in clinical features and visual outcomes of patients with optic neuritis (ON) who were negative or positive for aquaporin-4 antibodies.

    Study design

    This retrospective cohort study included 57 patients with a first episode of inflammatory ON. Investigators compared the seropositive and seronegative groups' clinical features at onset and final visual outcomes at 6 months.

    Outcomes

    Patients in the seronegative group had fewer recurrences of ON than those in the seropositive group, but the difference was not significant (35% vs. 58%, P=0.14). The groups showed no differences in visual acuity at baseline or after 6 months. Poor vision during a first attack, however, was associated with worse vision at 6 months.

    Limitations

    The study was limited by its retrospective nature and relatively small sample size.

    Clinical significance

    The authors concluded that AQP4-Ab positive patients showed no evidence of having poorer visual acuity than AQP4-Ab negative participants at 6 months. However, the authors noted that patients with a lower visual acuity at baseline were more likely to have poorer vision at 6 months.