title: The retinal nerve fiber layer of patients with neuromyelitis optica and chronic relapsing optic neuritis is more severely damaged than patients with multiple sclerosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To compare the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in eyes of patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and chronic relapsing inflammatory optic neuritis (CRION).
  
  
  METHODS
  Evaluation of 62 patients with RRMS, NMO, and CRION in a cross-sectional study with spectral domain optical coherence tomography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 124 eyes were evaluated (96 RRMS, 18 NMO, and 10 CRION). Frequency of optic neuritis for each disease was: 34% for RRMS, 84% for NMO, and 100% for CRION. Visual acuity and RNFL thickness were significantly worse in NMO and CRION eyes than in RRMS, but there were no differences between NMO and CRION eyes. A RNFL of 41 μm was 100% specific for optic neuritis associated with NMO and CRION when compared to RRMS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study established RNFL values to differentiate optic neuritis of RRMS from NMO and CRION. Although similarities observed between NMO and CRION eyes might suggest that they are within the same disease spectrum, it is still recommended that these 2 conditions be differentiated on clinical grounds. Optical coherence tomography serves as an additional diagnostic tool and can be used to monitor disease progression.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurologia e Neurocirurgia (DBB, ABF, EMLdO) and Departamento de Oftalmologia (ASdC, FFG, IMT), Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. bichuetti@unifesp.com
authors.forename: Denis B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Bichuetti
authors.forename: André S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: de Camargo
authors.forename: Alessandra B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Falcão
authors.forename: Fabiana F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Gonçalves
authors.forename: Ivan M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Tavares
authors.forename: Enedina M L
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000473:pathology*; D009471:Neuromyelitis Optica / Q000473:pathology*; D009902:Optic Neuritis / Q000473:pathology*; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology*; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence