Sex-specific differences in retinal nerve fiber layer thinning after acute optic neuritis

Fiona Costello; William Hodge; Y Irene Pan; Jodie M Burton; Mark S Freedman; Peter K Stys; Jessie Trufyn; Randy Kardon

doi:10.1212/WNL.0b013e318271f755

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Sex-specific differences in retinal nerve fiber layer thinning after acute optic neuritis

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Sex-specific differences in retinal nerve fiber layer thinning after acute optic neuritis

Fiona Costello, William Hodge, Y Irene Pan, Jodie M Burton, Mark S Freedman, Peter K Stys, Jessie Trufyn and Randy Kardon

Neurology, Vol.79(18), pp.1866-1872

10/30/2012

DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e318271f755

PMCID: PMC3525310

PMID: 23077012

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Abstract

The primary objective of this study was to explore the potential influence of gender on recovery from optic neuritis (ON) by determining whether differences in retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness can be detected between men and women 6 months after an ON event. In this prospective cohort study, 39 men and 105 women with acute ON underwent repeat visual and optical coherence tomography (OCT) testing. The main outcome measures were change in RNFL measurements for male and female patients 6 months after ON. Men were older (mean age = 39 years) than women (35 years) (p = 0.05) in this study, and more men (62%) than women (41%) had a diagnosis of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) (p = 0.02). Because age and MS subtype were 2 significant covariates, both variables were controlled for in multiple regression analyses. Other covariates controlled for in the multivariate regression included disease duration (years), use of disease-modifying therapy (yes/no), and use of high-dose corticosteroids for acute ON (yes/no). After 6 months, mean RNFL values were lower in men (74 μm) than women (91 μm) (p < 0.001). Men showed more apparent change in RNFL thickness in their ON eyes from baseline to 6 months after ON than women (p = 0.003). There may be differences in recovery between men and women after ON, which can be difficult to detect with conventional visual testing. Our findings raise interesting questions about the potential influence of gender in MS, which may be explored in future studies.

Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive - physiopathology

Acute Disease

Prospective Studies

Follow-Up Studies

Humans

Middle Aged

Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive - pathology

Male

Sex Characteristics

Tomography, Optical Coherence - methods

Retinal Ganglion Cells - pathology

Optic Neuritis - etiology

Optic Neuritis - physiopathology

Adult

Female

Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Progressive - complications

Optic Neuritis - pathology

Cohort Studies

Details

Title: Subtitle: Sex-specific differences in retinal nerve fiber layer thinning after acute optic neuritis
Creators: Fiona Costello - University of Calgary, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Calgary, Canada
William Hodge
Y Irene Pan
Jodie M Burton
Mark S Freedman
Peter K Stys
Jessie Trufyn
Randy Kardon
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Neurology, Vol.79(18), pp.1866-1872
DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0b013e318271f755
PMID: 23077012
PMCID: PMC3525310
NLM abbreviation: Neurology
ISSN: 0028-3878
eISSN: 1526-632X
Publisher: United States
Language: English
Date published: 10/30/2012
Academic Unit: Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences
Record Identifier: 9983980079202771

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