Serum Vitamin D Levels and Status in Thai Optic Neuritis Subjects: A Case-Control Study

Abstract

Busayanut Puangsricharoen,1 Kavin Vanikieti,1 Panitha Jindahra,2 Tanyatuth Padungkiatsagul1 1Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand; 2Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, ThailandCorrespondence: Tanyatuth Padungkiatsagul, Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, 270 Rama VI Road, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand, Tel [phone], Fax [phone], Email [email protected]: To measure serum total vitamin D or 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels and status in immune-based optic neuritis (ON) including neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD)-ON, myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD)-ON, autoimmune-ON, and idiopathic-ON and compare them with age- and sex-matched healthy controls. The secondary objective was to analyze the association between serum 25(OH)D levels and ON attack severity (nadir best-corrected visual acuity; nadir BCVA).Materials and Methods: This was a single-center, case–control study. We enrolled 59 subjects (19 NMOSD-ON, 6 MOGAD-ON, 11 autoimmune-ON, 23 idiopathic-ON) diagnosed with acute immune-based ON (any ON attacks) over 11 years. Electronic medical records were reviewed and demographic data (age at sampling, sex, aquaporin-4 immunoglobulin (AQP4-IgG); myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein immunoglobulin G (MOG-IgG); other biomarkers of autoimmune disorders), ON attack severity (nadir BCVA), and serum 25(OH)D levels in the acute phase of ON were collected. Serum 25(OH)D levels of 236 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were assessed.Results: Mean serum 25(OH)D levels were significantly lower in each group of immune-based ON compared with healthy controls (p < 0.001 for each ON group). However, mean serum 25(OH)D levels were not significantly different between four ON groups (NMOSD-ON, 20.18± 5.90 ng/mL; MOGAD-ON, 23.07± 4.94 ng/mL; autoimmune-ON, 21.14± 5.29 ng/mL; idiopathic-ON, 19.56± 5.12 ng/mL; p = 0.525). All immune-based ON subjects had vitamin D insufficiency or vitamin D deficiency. The prevalences of vitamin D insufficiency and vitamin D deficiency were significantly higher than in healthy controls in each ON group (both p < 0.05 in each ON group). No associations were observed between serum 25(OH)D levels and ON attack severity (nadir BCVA).Conclusions: Thai immune-based ON subjects had lower serum 25(OH)D levels and higher prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency and vitamin D deficiency compared with age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Serum 25(OH)D levels were not associated with ON attack severity (nadir BCVA). We highly recommend that serum 25(OH)D levels be screened in all subjects with acute immune-based ON.Keywords: vitamin D insufficiency, vitamin D deficiency, optic neuritis, NMOSD, MOGAD, autoimmune-optic neuritis

Keywords

• vitamin d insufficiency
• vitamin d deficiency
• optic neuritis
• nmosd
• mogad
• autoimmune-optic neuritis