Purpose: Verify the recovery of visual capacity after the administration of a combination of LDL apheresis (LA) and conventional therapy (CT). Design, prospective and interventional case series.
Methods: 20 patients affected by NAION were randomly subdivided into two groups of 10 patients (Group 1 and Group 2). Group 1 underwent three sessions of LA associated with CT, whereas group 2 received only CT. At discharge and at the 6 months follow-up visit, assessment in both groups was made of the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and the computerised visual field (CVF), comparing the findings with those at admission in each patient.
Results: Only the mean deviation (MD) at CVF was statistically improved in group 1 as compared with group 2 at discharge, judged against the values at admission (-11.08+/-6.51 vs -16.53+/-10.03, P=0.039; -17+/-5.24 vs -14.14+/-9.42, respectively). However, this increase was not confirmed at 6 months (-16.83+/- -10.72, group 1; -13.56+/-3.60 group 2).
Conclusion: In NAION, LA induced a short term improvement in the MD, but by 6 months this had disappeared.