Purpose: To describe different clinical characteristics and prognosis of optic neuritis (ON) in male patients with seropositive aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4-Ab) or myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody (MOG-Ab) in China.
Method: Males with ON were recruited from the Neuro-ophthalmology Department of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, General Hospital from January 2016 to February 2018. They were assigned to two groups based on antibodies status: MOG-Ab-seropositive ON (MOG-ON) and aquaporin-4 Ab-seropositive ON (AQP4-ON).
Results: Seventy-six male patients were assessed, including 44 MOG-ON (57.9%) and 32 AQP4-ON (42.1%). The MOG-ON patients were significantly younger at onset compared to the AQP4-ON group (p < 0.001). Frequencies of optic disc swelling, presence of abnormal autoimmune antibodies, and elevated levels of CSF IgG were significantly higher in the AQP4-ON group than the MOG-ON group (p=0.040, p=0.016, and p=0.10, respectively). At the final visit, 85.3% of MOG-ON eyes had increased visual acuity (≥0.5) compared to 35.1% of AQP4-ON eyes (p < 0.001). The ratio of this steroid-dependent condition is higher in MOG-ON patients than the AQP4-ON group (p < 0.001). The ratio of conversion to NMO is higher in the AQP4-ON group than the MOG-ON group, with more AQP4-ON patients developing NMO by the follow-up (p=0.012). MOG-ON patients had thicker average peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layers and macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform than AQP4-ON patients (p=0.008 and p=0.012, respectively). Orbital MRI revealed more AQP4-ON patients had chiasmal involvement than MOG-ON patients (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Male MOG-ON patients had different clinical features including earlier age of onset, higher optic disc swelling ratio, better visual acuity recovery, thicker peripapillary retinal nerve fiber and macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layers, and less chiasmal involvement than male AQP4-ON patients. Serum antibody may be a potential biomarker for determining visual prognosis in male ON.