Clinical course of optic neuritis in patients with relapsing neuromyelitis optica.

Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics, course, and prognosis of optic neuritis in recurrent neuromyelitis optica.

Methods: We analyzed 60 patients diagnosed using 1999 Mayo Clinic criteria who were seen between 1985 and 2004 at Hospital da Lagoa (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil).

Results: Optic neuritis was the initial feature in 53.