title: Clinical characteristics of optic neuritis in Taiwanese children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To document the etiology, clinical presentation, and visual prognosis of optic neuritis in Taiwanese children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospectively reviewed children younger than 18 years old with optic neuritis in Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung Children's Hospital from 1998 to 2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 24 children (38 eyes) with optic neuritis in that period. Overall, 14 patients (58.3%) were female and 10 patients (41.7%) were male. In total, 14 patients (58.3%) had bilateral involvement, and 10 patients (41.7%) had unilateral involvement. Out of 38 eyes, 24 (63.2%) had disc swelling. Out of 24 patients, 21 (87.5%) underwent intravenous steroid therapy (10 to 30 mg/kg/day) for 3-5 days, and followed by an oral taper. Out of 24 patients, 20 (83.3%) achieved final visual acuity (VA) of 20/40 or better. However, a poor visual outcome (four patients) (VA<20/40) was correlated with pale disc at presentation (P=0.002, Pearson χ (2)-test) and age older than 10 years (P=0.012, Fisher's exact test). Five patients were diagnosed with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) (21%), and three patients were diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) (12.5%). Patients with ADEM did not have a better visual outcome than patients with MS (P=0.643, Fisher's exact test).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Visual recovery from optic neuritis was favorable in Taiwanese children. A poor visual outcome was correlated with pale disc at presentation and patients' age older than 10 years. ADEM is the most common associated systemic disease; MS is relatively rare.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: M-H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: H-S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: K-J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: W-W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: P-Y
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Hsueh
authors.forename: K-K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: L-Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Kao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D020274:Autoimmune Diseases of the Nervous System / Q000150:complications; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology