title: A pilot study of the effect of intravenous erythropoetin on improvement of visual function in patients with recent indirect traumatic optic neuropathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To evaluate the efficacy of intravenous erythropoietin (EPO) on improvement of visual function and color vision in patients with recent indirect traumatic optic neuropathy (TON).
  
  
  METHODS
  In a case series, 18 eyes of 18 patients with diagnosis of indirect TON with duration of less than 2 weeks underwent 20,000 IU intravenous EPO injections daily for 3 days. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and color vision were checked by Ishihara test before, 1, and 3 months after injections. BCVA and color vision were compared before, 1, and 3 months after injections.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean BCVA improved from a baseline of 2.21 ± 0.97 to 1.48 ± 1.29 and 1.31 ± 1.27 log MAR at months 1 and 3, respectively. The differences were statistically significant (P = 0.001, P < 0.001). Color vision was changed from a baseline 2.24 ± 4.29 to 2.94 ± 4.64 and 3.41 ± 5.09 plates at months 1 and 3, respectively. We observed some qualitative improvement that was, however, statistically insignificant at the time of evaluation. (P = 0.063, P = 0.068).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This case series showed noticeable effect of EPO on improvement of visual function in patients with recent indirect TON.
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmic Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, Imam Hossein Medical Center, Shahid Beheshti Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran, entmort@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Morteza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Entezari
authors.forename: Manuchehr
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Esmaeili
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yaseri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D055253:Color Vision / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020221:Optic Nerve Injuries / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004921:Erythropoietin