Cytidine-5'-diphosphocholine (Citicoline): a pilot study in patients with non-arteritic ischaemic optic neuropathy.
OBJECTIVE
Our work evaluates visual function before and after treatment with cytidine-5-diphosphocholine (Citicoline) in patients with non-arteritic ischaemic optic neuropathy (NION).


METHODS
Twenty-six patients in which at least 6 months elapsed from NION, were randomly divided into two age-similar groups: 14 patients had Citicoline (Cebrolux-Tubilux, Italy, 1600 mg/diem for 60 days, followed by a 120-day period of wash out, days 60-180) (T-NION); 12 patients had no treatment during the same period (NT-NION). At day 180, in T-NION a second period of treatment (days 181-240) followed by a wash-out (days 241-360) was performed. Fourteen age-matched healthy subjects provided normative data. In all patients, pattern-electroretinogram (PERG), visual evoked potentials (VEPs) and visual acuity (VA) measurements were performed at baseline and at days 60 and 180. In T-NION, further measurements were achieved at days 240 and 360.


RESULTS
At baseline, NT-NION and T-NION patients showed abnormal PERGs and VEPs, and reduced VA, compared to controls. At the end of treatment (days 60 and 240), T-NION patients showed improvement (P < 0.01) of PERGs, VEPs parameters and VA, compared to pre-treatment values. After wash out, functional improvements persisted compared to baseline. No changes in NT-NION patients were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest a beneficial effect of oral Citicoline in NION.
Parisi
V
V
Department of Neurophysiology of Vision and Neurophthalmology, G.B. Bietti Eye Foundation-IRCCS, Rome, Italy. vparisi@tin.it
Coppola
G
G
Ziccardi
L
L
Gallinaro
G
G
Falsini
B
B
D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003566:Cytidine Diphosphate Choline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004596:Electroretinography / Q000379:methods; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018917:Optic Neuropathy, Ischemic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013997:Time Factors; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D018697:Nootropic Agents; D003566:Cytidine Diphosphate Choline