Agreement and Repeatability of Noncycloplegic and Cycloplegic Wavefront-based Autorefraction in Children.

SIGNIFICANCE: Increasing prevalence of refractive error requires assessment of ametropia as a screening tool in children. If cycloplegia is not an option, knowledge about the increase in uncertainty for wavefront-based autorefraction is needed. The cycloplegic agent as the principal variant presents cross-reference and allows for extraction of the influence of accommodation. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the repeatability, agreement, and propensity to accommodate of cycloplegic (ARc) and noncycloplegic (ARnc) wavefront-based autorefraction (ZEISS i.Profiler plus; Carl Zeiss Vision, Aalen, Germany) in children aged 2 to 15 years. METHODS: In a clinical setting, three consecutive measurements were feasible for 145 eyes (OD) under both conditions. Data are described by spherical equivalent (M), horizontal or vertical astigmatic component (J0), and oblique astigmatic component (J45). In the case of M, the most positive value of the three measurements was chosen, whereas the mean was applied for astigmatic components. RESULTS: Regarding agreement, differences for ARc minus ARnc were statistically significant: for M, 0.55 (0.55 D; mean [SD]; P < .001), that is, more hyperopic in cycloplegia; for J0, -0.03 (0.11 D; P = .002); and for J45, -0.03 D (SD, 0.09 D; P < .001). Regarding repeatability, astigmatic components showed excellent repeatability: SD < 0.11 D (ARnc) and SD < 0.09 D (ARc). The repeatability of M was SD = 0.57 D with a 95% interval of 1.49 D (ARnc). Under cycloplegia, this decreased to SD = 0.17 D (ARc) with a 95% interval of 0.50 D. The mean propensity to accommodate was 0.44 D from repeated measurements; in cycloplegia, this was reduced to 0.19 D. CONCLUSIONS: Wavefront-based refraction measurement results are highly repeatable and precise for astigmatic components. Noncycloplegic measurements of M show a systematic bias of 0.55 D. Cycloplegia reduces the propensity to accommodate by a factor of 2.4; for noncycloplegic repeated measurements, accommodation is controlled to a total interval of 1.49 D (95%). Without cycloplegia, results improve drastically when measurements are repeated.

[Optic Disc Changes in Childhood]. / Veränderungen der Papilla nervi optici im Kindesalter.

The ophthalmological inspection of the optic disc is possible since the time of birth. Thereby, changes of normal optic disc configuration can already be detected in early infancy. Congenital optic disc anomalies can go along with congenital malformations of the brain or with syndromal systemic diseases. Acquired changes of the optic disc are often caused by tumours or acute diseases of the optic nerve or the central nervous system. Modern imaging techniques permit documentation, quantification and follow-up of optic disc changes. The classification of optic disc changes into congenital anomalies, optic disc prominence and optic atrophy have proved of value for differential diagnosis of their aetiology. This provides a basis for subsequent diagnostic and therapeutic measures which require a close cooperation between paediatrists and ophthalmologists.

[Anti-Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Antibodies in Paediatric Patients with Optic Neuritis]. / Myelin-Oligodendrozyten-Glykoprotein-Antikörper bei Neuritis nervi optici im Kindesalter.

Background Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) is located on the surface of oligodendrocytes and myelin in the central nervous system. MOG-IgG is associated with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), relapsing and bilateral optic neuritis (NNO), and transverse myelitis (TM) in both paediatric and adult patients. The combination of NNO and TM or other inflammatory brain lesions is a typical feature of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMO-SD) which are associated with specific pathogenic autoantibodies against the water channel aquaporin-4 (AQP4-IgG). However, children with NMO-SD are often seronegative for AQP4-IgG but seropositive for MOG-IgG. Therefore, the course and therapy of MOG-IgG positive NNO in children were of special interest. Patients The course of disease of two male patients with acute NNO is presented (bilateral NNO, age of onset 8 years each, AQP4-IgG negative, MOG-IgG positive). Several relapses of NNO occurred in patient 1 with persisting MOG-IgG in spite of immunsuppressive therapy. He suffered from increasing optic atrophy, considerable visual loss and transient brainstem affection. Patient 2 showed a monophasic course of disease with a rapid decline in MOG-IgG titre and only minor asymmetric optic atrophy. Conclusions MOG-IgG in children is associated with recurrent NNO and cerebral lesions characteristic of ADEM or NMO-SD. High titres of MOG-IgG are observed during the acute phase of clinical symptoms. Relapses of NNO lead to increasing loss of retinal nerve fibre layer. Diagnostic investigation includes the determination of AQP4-IgG and MOG-IgG as well as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of brain and spinal cord. The therapeutic consequence of this is consistent immunsuppressive treatment, starting with intravenous steroids and followed by second-line therapy with steroid sparing immunosuppressants, including mycophenolate or azathioprine, followed in refractory cases by rituximab. The therapeutic effect should be controlled by laboratory tests of MOG-IgG titre.

Multigene panel next generation sequencing in a patient with cherry red macular spot: Identification of two novel mutations in NEU1 gene causing sialidosis type I associated with mild to unspecific biochemical and enzymatic findings.

BACKGROUND: Lysosomal storage diseases (LSD) often manifest with cherry red macular spots. Diagnosis is based on clinical features and specific biochemical and enzymatic patterns. In uncertain cases, genetic testing with next generation sequencing can establish a diagnosis, especially in milder or atypical phenotypes. We report on the diagnostic work-up in a boy with sialidosis type I, presenting initially with marked cherry red macular spots but non-specific urinary oligosaccharide patterns and unusually mild excretion of bound sialic acid. METHODS: Biochemical, enzymatic and genetic tests were performed in the patient. The clinical and electrophysiological data was reviewed and a genotype-phenotype analysis was performed. In addition a systematic literature review was carried out. CASE REPORT AND RESULTS: Cherry red macular spots were first noted at 6 years of age after routine screening myopia. Physical examination, psychometric testing, laboratory investigations as well as cerebral MRI were unremarkable at 9 years of age. So far no clinical myoclonic seizures occurred, but EEG displays generalized epileptic discharges and visual evoked potentials are prolonged bilaterally. Urine thin layer chromatography showed an oligosaccharide pattern compatible with different LSD including sialidosis, galactosialidosis, GM1 gangliosidosis or mucopolysaccharidosis type IV B. Urinary bound sialic acid excretion was mildly elevated in spontaneous and 24 h urine samples. In cultured fibroblasts, α-sialidase activity was markedly decreased to < 1%; however, bound and free sialic acid were within normal range. Diagnosis was eventually established by multigene panel next generation sequencing of genes associated to LSD, identifying two novel, compound heterozygous variants in NEU1 gene (c.699C > A, p.S233R in exon 4 and c.803A > G; p.Y268C in Exon 5 in NEU1 transcript NM_000434.3), leading to amino acid changes predicted to impair protein function. DISCUSSION: Sialidosis should be suspected in patients with cherry red macular spots, even with non-significant urinary sialic acid excretion. Multigene panel next generation sequencing can establish a definite diagnosis, allowing for counseling of the patient and family.