Interferon

Interferon Alfa Associated Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy

From the Department of Ophthalmology (Casey Eye Institute), Oregon Health & Science University. Correspondence and reprint requests to F.W. (Rick) Fraunfelder, M.D., Casey Eye Institute Cornea Service, 3375 SW Terwilliger Blvd., Portland, OR 97239-4197 Phone 503 494-7674, FAX 503 418-2284, email eyedrug@ohsu.edu.

An abstract was submitted for presentation to the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting in Chicago, Illinois in 2010.

This work was supported in part by an unrestricted grant to Casey Eye Institute from Research to Prevent Blindness, New York, NY.

F.W. Fraunfelder, M.D. has no financial relationships to disclose. F.T. Fraunfelder, M.D. is a consultant to Pfizer. This article contains online-only material.

Abstract

Purpose: To report a possible association between interferon alfa therapy and anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AION).

Design: Database study and review of the literature.

Participants: 36 case reports from spontaneous reporting systems and from the literature.

Methods: Case reports from a review of the literature were combined with spontaneous reports from the National Registry of Drug-Induced Ocular Side Effects, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) looking for reports on interferon therapy associated with optic neuropathy.

Main Outcome Measures: Data garnered from the spontaneous reports include the type of interferon, age, gender, adverse drug reaction (ADR), dosage, duration of therapy until onset of ADR, concomitant drugs, other systemic disease, dechallenge and rechallenge data.

Results: Thirty-six case reports of AION are described in association with interferon alfa therapy. Average age was 54 ½ years with 26 males and 10 females. Median duration of therapy to onset of AION was 4 ½ months with 50% of subjects suffering some form of permanent vision loss. AION was bilateral in 67% of subjects. There are 3...