title: [Visually evoked cortical potentials for early detection of optic neuritis in ethambutol therapy].
abstract: Ethambutol leads to chronic, severe optic neuritis with sudden onset in approximately 5-14% of all patients. Therefore, the ability of visually (pattern) evoked potentials for the early diagnosis of ethambutol-induced optic neuritis was tested. During ethambutol therapy prolonged latency was documented in 5 of 15 cases (33%). One of these 5 cases showed a reversible decrease in visual acuity. Thus, during treatment with ethambutol visually (pattern) evoked potentials may reveal a surprisingly high percentage of subclinical optic neuritis. These patients need close supervision in order to facilitate early discontinuation of the drug when neuritis develops.
authors.affiliation: Universitäts-Augenklinik, Bonn, Bundesrepublik Deutschland.
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Dette
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spitznas
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Göbbels
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Koch
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leinhos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004977:Ethambutol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D004977:Ethambutol
vernacular_title: Visuell evozierte kortikale Potentiale zur Früherkennung der Neuritis nervi optici unter Ethambutoltherapie.