Bilateral optic neuritis in pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus associated with antiphospholipid antibodies and neuromyelitis optica immunoglobulin.

The authors report a case of a 16-year-old girl with a history of systemic lupus erythematosus who developed bilateral acute optic neuritis. Systemic lupus erythematosus can present with a vast array of neurological and ophthalmic complications, with optic neuritis being a rare but devastating manifestation and the major cause of blindness in these patients. The patient presented with an acute unilateral visual deficit that progressed to bilateral visual loss with no light perception over the course of days. Treatment included high-dose steroids, cyclophosphamide, intravenous immunoglobulin, and eventually rituximab. Furthermore, the patient was also seropositive for both antiphospholipid and neuromyelitis optica antibodies, which can have implications on prognosis and treatment options. Copyright 2010, SLACK Incorporated.