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Abstract

Background

To determine the effect of memantine on axonal loss and visual function during the course of optic neuritis (ON).

Methods

Sixty ON patients in a single-center, institutional setting were randomly assigned to the memantine or placebo groups. Patients with first attack of acute unilateral optic neuritis, with visual symptoms of 8 days’ duration or less were enrolled in this trial. No patient had known multiple sclerosis, and none had taken immunomodulatory agent prior to or at the time of presentation. For all patients, the following characteristics were recorded and compared at initial presentation and 3 months afterward: visual acuity, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, visual field parameters (mean deviation and pattern standard deviation), visual evoked potential, and contrast sensitivity.

Results

Fifty-four patients completed the 3-month follow up. There were no significant differences between the placebo and memantine groups for any of the characteristics at initial presentation. After 3 months, the only statistically significant difference between the two groups was in RNFL thickness. Memantine group subjects had higher thickness in nasal (P = 0.01), superior (P = 0.006), inferior (P = 0.01) quadrants and average (P = 0.01). However, temporal quadrant thickness was not different between two groups (P = 0.35).

Conclusion

Memantine was effective in reduction of RNFL thinning, although this structural difference was not associated with improved visual function.

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Acknowledgements

Contributions of authors: design of the study (MRE, ZAH, MAF, MM), conduct of the study (MN, MA, AM). Authors are grateful to Dr.Ebrahimi (University of Pharmacology) for his support in preparing the drugs. The study was carried out with the approval of the research ethics committee of Tehran University. Informed consent was obtained from all patients, and the study was conducted in accordance with declaration of Helsinki. Clinical Trials registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry, 12609000111279.

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Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Masoud Aghsaei Fard.

Additional information

This study was supported by grants from Tehran University of Medical Science. The authors do not have any financial interests to disclose. The authors have full control of all primary data, and they agree to allow Graefe’s Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology to review their data upon request. Clinical Trials registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry, 12609000111279.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Appendices A (1)

Baseline characteristic of all patients (VA: visual acuity; RNFL: retinal nerve fiber layer). (DOCX 37 kb)

Appendices A (2)

Patients’ data at 3 months. (VA: visual acuity; RNFL: retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (μm); MD: mean deviation of visual field; PSD: pattern standard deviation of visual field; P100: values of the time-to-peak of P100 (msec) of visual evoked potential) (DOCX 34 kb)

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Esfahani, M.R., Harandi, Z.A., Movasat, M. et al. Memantine for axonal loss of optic neuritis. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 250, 863–869 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-011-1894-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-011-1894-3

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