Clinical analysis of the etiology of optic neuritis in patients at different ages in china.

Purpose:.To determine the etiology of optic neuritis in patients of different ages in China. Methods: Records of optic neuritis patients who were hospitalized in the Department of Neuro-ophthalmology, General PLA Hospital, Beijing, between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. Results:.A total of 132 patients were divided into three groups by age..The percentage of patients aged ≤16 years,.16-45 years and >45 years were 17.4% (23/132),.54.6% (72/132), and 28.0% (37/132) respectively. The distribution of etiologies differed significantly among the three groups(x2=23.2, P=0.026)..The percentage of idiopathic demyelinating optic neuritis was the highest in the 16-45 group (44.4%), and the proportion of neuromyelitis optica was the highest in the ≤16 years group. Infectious optic neuritis was more frequently seen in patients aged ≤16 years and >45 years. The source of infection was viral (n=2), nasosinusitis (n=1) and bacterial (n=1) in the ≤16 years group and neurosyphilis (n=3) and nasosinusitis (n=1) in the >45 years group. The percentage of paraneoplastic syndrome in the >45 years group was 8.11% (3/37). Conclusion:.The etiology of optic neuritis in patients at various ages differed significantly.