An-Guor Wang1,2, Yen-Ching Lin1, Shuu-Jiun Wang3,2, Ching-Piao Tsai3,2, May-Yung Yen4,5. 1. Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. 2. School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan. 3. Neurological Institute, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. 4. Department of Ophthalmology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. myyen@vghtpe.gov.tw. 5. School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan. myyen@vghtpe.gov.tw.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS) is relatively rare in Chinese. The beneficial effect of interferon beta-1a in modifying the disease course of MS has been rarely analyzed in Chinese patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical response to interferon beta1-a in Chinese patients with MS-associated optic neuritis (ON). METHODS: A retrospective case control study was conducted in 20 MS patients with optic nerve involvement. The interferon (IF) group comprised ten patients receiving interferon beta-1a. The noninterferon (NIF) group comprised another ten MS patients with optic nerve involvement who did not receive interferon treatment. The clinical characteristics, laboratory data, management, and disease course were retrospectively analyzed. The main outcomes of the study were the annualized relapse rate (ARR) for MS, and final visual outcome data. RESULTS: The ARR did not differ between the pretreatment period and the posttreatment period within the IF group. There was also no significant decrease of ARR in the IF group when compared with the NIF group. However, we observed an early recurrence of ON in 50% of the IF cases following the use of interferon beta-1a. The final visual outcome did not differ between the IF group and the NIF group. CONCLUSIONS: The use of interferon beta-1a should be carefully monitored because early relapse of ON may complicate the treatment course in this patient group.
PURPOSE: The incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS) is relatively rare in Chinese. The beneficial effect of interferon beta-1a in modifying the disease course of MS has been rarely analyzed in Chinese patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical response to interferon beta1-a in Chinese patients with MS-associated optic neuritis (ON). METHODS: A retrospective case control study was conducted in 20 MSpatients with optic nerve involvement. The interferon (IF) group comprised ten patients receiving interferon beta-1a. The noninterferon (NIF) group comprised another ten MSpatients with optic nerve involvement who did not receive interferon treatment. The clinical characteristics, laboratory data, management, and disease course were retrospectively analyzed. The main outcomes of the study were the annualized relapse rate (ARR) for MS, and final visual outcome data. RESULTS: The ARR did not differ between the pretreatment period and the posttreatment period within the IF group. There was also no significant decrease of ARR in the IF group when compared with the NIF group. However, we observed an early recurrence of ON in 50% of the IF cases following the use of interferon beta-1a. The final visual outcome did not differ between the IF group and the NIF group. CONCLUSIONS: The use of interferon beta-1a should be carefully monitored because early relapse of ON may complicate the treatment course in this patient group.
Authors: Roy W Beck; Jonathan D Trobe; Pamela S Moke; Robin L Gal; Dongyuan Xing; M Tariq Bhatti; Michael C Brodsky; Edward G Buckley; Georgia A Chrousos; James Corbett; Eric Eggenberger; James A Goodwin; Barrett Katz; David I Kaufman; John L Keltner; Mark J Kupersmith; Neil R Miller; Sarkis Nazarian; Silvia Orengo-Nania; Peter J Savino; William T Shults; Craig H Smith; Michael Wall Journal: Arch Ophthalmol Date: 2003-07
Authors: Robert C Axtell; Brigit A de Jong; Katia Boniface; Laura F van der Voort; Roopa Bhat; Patrizia De Sarno; Rodrigo Naves; May Han; Franklin Zhong; Jim G Castellanos; Robert Mair; Athena Christakos; Ilan Kolkowitz; Liat Katz; Joep Killestein; Chris H Polman; René de Waal Malefyt; Lawrence Steinman; Chander Raman Journal: Nat Med Date: 2010-03-28 Impact factor: 53.440