High-dose intravenous methylprednisolone in recent traumatic optic neuropathy; a randomized double-masked placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

To compare the effect of high-dose intravenous corticosteroid therapy with placebo in the treatment of recent traumatic optic neuropathy (TON).

METHODS:

In a double-masked placebo-controlled clinical trial, 31 eyes of 31 patients were randomly assigned to two groups. Patients with history of trauma < or =7 days were included. Unconscious patients, eyes with penetrating trauma and candidates for decompression surgery were excluded. The treatment group (16 eyes) received 250 mg methylprednisolone intravenously every 6 h for 3 days, then 1 mg/kg prednisolone orally for 14 days; the placebo group (15 eyes) received 50 ml normal saline intravenously every 6 h for 3 days, then placebo for 14 days. Visual improvement was considered as a decrease of at least 0.4 logMAR in final visual acuity.

RESULTS:

Mean final BCVA (best corrected visual acuity) in the treatment group was 1.11+/- 1.14 and the placebo group was 1.78 +/- 1.23. This difference was not significant (P = 0.13). Visual acuity was improved in 68.8% of the treatment group and 53.3% of the placebo group, but the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.38). The difference between initial and final BCVA in both groups was determined to be statistically significant (P < 0.001 and 0.010 respectively).

CONCLUSIONS:

Our study confirms earlier findings that there is no difference in visual acuity improvement between intravenous high-dose corticosteroids and placebo in treatment of recent TNO.

• Authors: Morteza Entezari, Zhaleh Rajavi, Neda Sedighi, Narssis Daftarian, Masoumeh Sanagoo
• Journal: Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie (Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol) Vol. 245 Issue 9 Pg. 1267-71 (Sep 2007) ISSN: 0721-832X [Print] Germany
• PMID: 17265030 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)

Chemical References

• Glucocorticoids
• Prednisolone
• Methylprednisolone

Topics

• Administration, Oral
• Adolescent
• Adult
• Child
• Double-Blind Method
• Glucocorticoids (administration & dosage)
• Humans
• Infusions, Intravenous
• Male
• Methylprednisolone (administration & dosage)
• Middle Aged
• Optic Nerve Injuries (drug therapy, physiopathology)
• Prednisolone (administration & dosage)
• Prognosis
• Visual Acuity
• Wounds, Nonpenetrating (drug therapy, physiopathology)