Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial (ONTT)

June 2, 2006 updated by: National Eye Institute (NEI)

To assess the beneficial and adverse effects of corticosteroid treatment for optic neuritis.

To determine the natural history of vision in patients who suffer optic neuritis.

To identify risk factors for the development of multiple sclerosis in patients with optic neuritis.

Study Overview

Status

Unknown

Detailed Description

Optic neuritis is an inflammatory disease of the optic nerve that typically affects young adults. Women are affected more often than men. It is second only to glaucoma as the most common acquired optic nerve disorder in persons younger than age 50.

In this disorder, closely linked to multiple sclerosis, prognosis for visual recovery is generally good. However, return of visual function is almost never complete. After resolution of optic neuritis, virtually all patients show some signs of optic nerve damage, and most are symptomatic. Even when a patient's acuity recovers to 20/20, abnormalities frequently remain in other measures such as contrast sensitivity, color vision, and visual field.

Prior to the Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial (ONTT), well-established guidelines for treating optic neuritis did not exist. Although corticosteroids had been used to treat this disease, studies to demonstrate their effectiveness had not been satisfactory. Some experts advocated treatment with oral prednisone while others recommended no treatment. Anecdotal reports suggested that high-dose intravenous corticosteroids might be effective.

The association between optic neuritis and multiple sclerosis is well established. Optic neuritis may be the first manifestation of multiple sclerosis, or it may occur later in its course. A strong case can be made for "isolated" optic neuritis being a forme fruste of multiple sclerosis, based on similarities between the two in such epidemiologic factors as gender, age, geographic distributions, cerebrospinal fluid changes, histocompatibility data, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) changes, and family history. The magnitude of the risk of multiple sclerosis after optic neuritis is uncertain. Previous studies have reported very disparate results, with the risk being reported to be as low as 13 percent and as high as 88 percent. The importance of risk factors such as age, gender, and MRI changes in predicting which patients with optic neuritis are most likely to develop multiple sclerosis also is unclear.

The treatment phase of the study was called the Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial (ONTT), whereas the current long-term followup phase is called the Longitudinal Optic Neuritis Study (LONS). The study is being conducted at 15 clinical centers in the United States. Resource centers include a data coordinating center and a visual field reading center.

Patients were randomized to one of the three following treatment groups at 15 clinical centers:

  • Oral prednisone (1 mg/kg/day) for 14 days
  • Intravenous methylprednisolone (250 mg every 6 hours) for 3 days, followed by oral prednisone (1 mg/kg/day) for 11 days
  • Oral placebo for 14 days

Each regimen was followed by a short oral taper. The oral prednisone and placebo groups were double masked, whereas the intravenous methylprednisolone group was single masked.

Baseline testing included blood tests to evaluate for syphilis and systemic lupus erythematosus, a chest x-ray to evaluate for sarcoidosis, and a brain MRI scan to evaluate for changes suggestive of multiple sclerosis.

The rate of visual recovery and the long-term visual outcome were both assessed by measures of visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, color vision, and visual field at baseline, at seven followup visits during the first 6 months, and then yearly. A standardized neurologic examination with an assessment of multiple sclerosis status was made at baseline, after 6 months, and then yearly.

Study Type

Interventional

Phase

  • Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

    • Arkansas
      • Little Rock, Arkansas, United States
        • University of Arkansas
    • California
      • San Francisco, California, United States
        • California Pacific Medical Center
    • District of Columbia
      • Washington, District of Columbia, United States
        • Georgetown University
    • Florida
      • Gainesville, Florida, United States
        • University of Florida
    • Illinois
      • Chicago, Illinois, United States
        • University of Illinois
    • Iowa
      • Iowa City, Iowa, United States
        • University of Iowa
    • Maryland
      • Baltimore, Maryland, United States
        • Johns Hopkins University
    • Michigan
      • Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
        • University of Michigan
      • East Lansing, Michigan, United States
        • Michigan State University
    • New York
      • New York, New York, United States
        • New York University
    • North Carolina
      • Durham, North Carolina, United States
        • Duke University
    • Oregon
      • Portland, Oregon, United States
        • Devers Eye Institute
    • Pennsylvania
      • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
        • Wills Eye Hospital
    • Texas
      • Houston, Texas, United States
        • Baylor College of Medicine
    • Washington
      • Seattle, Washington, United States
        • Swedish Medical Center

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 46 years (ADULT)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

The major eligibility criteria for enrollment into the ONTT included the following:

Age range of 18 to 46 years

Acute unilateral optic neuritis with visual symptoms for 8 days or less

A relative afferent pupillary defect and a visual field defect in the affected eye

No previous episodes of optic neuritis in the affected eye

No previous corticosteroid treatment for optic neuritis or multiple sclerosis

No systemic disease other than multiple sclerosis that might be the cause of the optic neuritis

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: TREATMENT
  • Allocation: RANDOMIZED
  • Masking: SINGLE

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

July 1, 1988

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

September 23, 1999

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 23, 1999

First Posted (ESTIMATE)

September 24, 1999

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (ESTIMATE)

June 5, 2006

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 2, 2006

Last Verified

October 1, 2003

More Information

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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