Corticosteroids and plasma exchange successful

Article

Pulsed intravenous corticosteroids and plasma exchange (PE) is more effective than standard monotherapy for treating acute optic neuritis of neuromyelitis optica (NMO).

Pulsed intravenous corticosteroids and plasma exchange (PE) is more effective than standard monotherapy for treating acute optic neuritis of neuromyelitis optica (NMO).

Dr Harold Merle and his team, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Fort de France, Hôpital Pierre Zobda-Quitman, Martinique, France, devised an investigation on 52 optic neuritis patients who were treated from 1 January 1995 to 31 December 31 2010.

Pulsed intravenous corticosteroids were used to treat 36 patients and pulsed intravenous corticosteroids plus PE was used to treat 16 patients. Ophthalmic examinations were performed at least six months after optic neuritis treatment. The Snellen scale and the logarithmic scale of Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study were used to measure visual acuity and visual field. Optical coherence tomography was used to measure retinal peripapillary fibre thickness.

The final visual acuity was 20/400 and 20/50 in the corticosteroid group and the PE group, respectively. The gain in visual acuity was 20/200 and 20/30 in the corticosteroids and PE groups, respectively.

Out of the corticosteroid group, 19 patients had a poor visual outcome, compared to just two patients in the PE group. According to the multivariate analysis, PE treatment was the sole independent factor linked to a visual acuity greater than 20/200 and it is more effective than standard monotherapy with corticosteroids.

The study is featured in the Archives of Ophthalmology and the abstract can be found here.

Newsletter

Join ophthalmologists across Europe—sign up for exclusive updates and innovations in surgical techniques and clinical care.

Recent Videos
Christine Curcio, PhD, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, shares histology update and revised nomenclature for OCT with Sheryl Stevenson of the Eye Care Network and Ophthalmology Times
SriniVas R. Sadda, MD, FARVO, shares key points from his retina presentation at the International SPECTRALIS Symposium
Robert Sergott, MD, describes fluorescence lifetime imaging ophthalmoscopy (FLIO) and the International SPECTRALIS Symposium – And Beyond (ISS) in Heidelberg, Germany.
Rayaz Malik, MBChB, PhD, a professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar, spoke with Ophthalmology Times Europe about his presentation. It's titled "An eye on neurodegenerative diseases: Challenging the dogma" at the International SPECTRALIS Sympsoium. In conversation with Hattie Hayes, Ophthalmology Times Europe
Anat Loewenstein, MD, describes her presentation on remote imaging for age-related macular degeneration and geographic atrophy at the International SPECTRALIS Symposium, in conversation with Hattie Hayes of Ophthalmology Times Europe
Tyson Brunstetter, OD, PhD, a US Navy Aerospace Optometrist at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, shares key takeaways from his keynote at the International SPECTRALIS Symposium (ISS)
Rayaz Malik, MBChB, PhD, shares his presentation, titled An eye on neurodegenerative diseases: Challenging the dogma, at this year's International SPECTRALIS Symposium
At the Retina World Congress, Siegfried Priglinger, MD, speaks about ensuring the best outcomes for preschool-aged patients
At the 2025 ASCRS meeting, Robert Ang, MD said small aperture IOLs can benefit all patients, especially those with complex corneas or who have undergone previous corneal refractive surgery
Viha Vig, MBChB graduate student at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, discusses her poster presentation on the relationship between mitochondiral disease, Alzheimer disease, and other types of dementia.
© 2025 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.