Research Articles
Clinical characteristics of patients presenting with the first-episode optic neuritis in a South Asian population: A study from Sri Lanka
Authors:
Padmini Dahanayake ,
University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya,20400, LK
About Padmini
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine
Teaching Hospital Peradeniya, Peradeniya 20400
Tharaka L. Dassanayake,
University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya,20400, LK
About Tharaka
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine
Teaching Hospital Peradeniya, Peradeniya 20400
School of Psychology, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan NSW 2308, Australia
Manoji Pathirage,
Teaching Hospital Peradeniya, Peradeniya 20400, LK
About Manoji
Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 20400
Saman Senanayake,
National Hospital, Kandy, 20000, LK
About Saman
Eye Unit
Mike Sedgwick,
University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya,20400, LK
About Mike
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine
Vajira S. Weerasinghe
University of Peradeniya, Peradeniya, 20400, LK
About Vajira
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine
Teaching Hospital Peradeniya, Peradeniya 20400
Abstract
The clinical profile of optic neuritis in caucasian European populations is well-documented, and those findings form the basis for current treatment strategies. Limited evidence from Asian samples suggests a lower prevalence of multiple sclerosis and a significant proportion of patients having bilateral optic neuritis. This study describes the clinical characteristics of optic neuritis in Sri Lankans, a South Asian population, and compares the clinical picture with those of other Asian and caucasian European populations.
We consecutively recruited 90 adults (age 18-75 years, 50 women) who presented with first-episode optic neuritis to a tertiary care ophthalmology centre in Sri Lanka. The clinical and ophthalmological findings are described.
The patients presented within a median of 5 (Interquartile range, IQR:2-10; range: 1-20) days following the onset of symptoms. Fifty-three (59%) patients had unilateral optic neuritis, and 37 (41%) had bilateral optic neuritis. In the total sample, 60% had peri-ocular pain and 67% had optic disc oedema. In the subsample with unilateral optic neuritis, 58% had peri-ocular pain, while 80% had optic disc oedema.
Our findings indicate that a significant proportion of first-episode optic neuritis is bilateral: a presentation common in Asia but rare in people of Caucasian European descent. Unilateral optic neuritis in Sri Lankans has a different presentation compared to the caucasian European population: peri-ocular pain is less common, but almost 4 in 5 patients had optic disc oedema. The significance of these differences in the diagnosis and management of patients is yet to be investigated.
How to Cite:
Dahanayake, P., Dassanayake, T.L., Pathirage, M., Senanayake, S., Sedgwick, M. and Weerasinghe, V.S., 2022. Clinical characteristics of patients presenting with the first-episode optic neuritis in a South Asian population: A study from Sri Lanka. Anuradhapura Medical Journal, 16(2), pp.19–28. DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/amj.v16i2.7725
Published on
15 Jul 2022.
Peer Reviewed
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