Research Paper: Tapering Oral Steroid Treatment After IV Methylprednisolone Pulse Therapy in Demyelinating OpticNeuritis

Background: Optic neuritis is an inflammation of the optic nerve. Because of importance of visionfor human, management of optic neuritis is an important issue in neurology.Objectives: This study aimed at assessing the effect of oral steroid treatment after intravenous (IV)methylprednisolone therapy on demyelinating optic neuritis.Materials & Methods: 60 Patients with first episode of acute demyelinating optic neuritiswho referred to a neurology clinic in an academic hospital in south-west of Iran in 2015-2016included in this randomized double-blind clinical trial study (No: IRCT2015102724735N1). Theywere divided into two groups with (A) and without (B) tapering oral steroid treatment after IVmethylprednisolone. Visual acuity and color vision were measured before treatment, before oraltapering, 1 and 3 months after treatment. Independent t-test in SPSS software version 20 was usedto analyze the data. P<0.05 was considered as the level of significance.Results: Visual acuity in two groups did not have any significant difference in any time point ofassessment (P> 0.05).Frequency of color vision abnormality in groups A and B were at baseline(53.3% vs. 56.6%) (P=0.796), before oral tapering (43.3% vs. 30%, P=0.284), 1 month aftertreatment (23.3% vs. 30%, P=0.559), 3 months after treatment (0% vs. 23%, P=0.011).Conclusion: Oral steroid treatment after IV methylprednisolone pulse therapy improves colorvision after 3 months in patients with demyelinating optic neuritis but has no effect on visual acuity.

Research Paper: Tapering Oral Steroid Treatment After IV Methylprednisolone Pulse Therapy in Demyelinating OpticNeuritis Keywords:

Optic neuritis , Methylprednisolone , Therapy