Is Skin Biopsy a Useful Investigation in the Diagnosis of Idiopathic Optic Neuritis?

Abstract

Previous studies have recommended skin biopsy (the immunofluorescent “band” test) as a valuable tool in the identification of cases of optic neuritis which are autoimmune. However in recent years the diagnostic spectrum of optic neuritis not associated with multiple sclerosis (MS) has considerably expanded both following the description of specific syndromes and also the discovery of other means of identifying autoimmune optic neuritis (such as detecting antibodies to Aquaporin 4). Furthermore the value of the immunofluorescent band test in the diagnosis of systemic autoimmune disorders such as systemic lupus erythematosis (SLE) has been questioned. However the test could still be useful if it can be shown that there are cases of autoimmune optic neuritis patients who have a positive skin biopsy but have serological evidence for neither SLE nor for neuromyelitis optica (NMO).

KEYWORDS::

• Autoimmune optic neuropathy
• chronic relapsing inflammatory optic neuropathy
• immunofluorescent band test
• Optic Neuritis
• skin biopsy

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Decleration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.