AIM: To study the clinical effect of alprostadil combined with glucocorticoids in the treatment of acute optic neuritis(AON).

METHODS: Seventy patients(70 eyes)with AON from January, 2012 to June, 2014 were randomly divided into two groups. 35 patients in observation group were used 10ug alprostadil with 10mL normal saline(NS)by intravenous injection, once/d for 7d/one treatment course, and 10mL NS was used by intravenous injection in 35 patients of control group. Besides, the two groups were treated with the combined therapy as follows: 20mg methylprednisolone was injected periglomerularly beside the eyeballs, once /3d for 3 times; 800～1 000mg of methylprednisolone through intravenous drip for 3d, once/d; after 3d, oral administration of prednisone acetate for 1wk, 1mg/(kg·d); after 1wk, the dose decreased to 5mg/wk until withdraw. Simultaneously, oral administration of ranitidine capsules, calcium carbonate and vitamin D₃ tablets were combined in the supportive treament. The differences of curative effect between two groups were comparatively analyzed.

RESULTS: In the observation group, 25 eyes(71.4%)were markedly effective, 7 eyes(20.0%)were valid and 3 eyes(8.6%)were invalid, and the total effective rate was 91.4%. In the control group, 15 eyes(42.9%)were markedly effective, 14 eyes(40.0%)were valid and 6 eyes(17.1%)were invalid, and the total effective rate was 82.9%. The difference of total effective rate between the two groups was not statistically significant(P=0.477), but there was a significant difference in markedly effective rate between the two groups(χ²=5.833, P=0.016).

CONCLUSION: Alprostadil combined with glucocorticoids is effective for AON, and it is worth of advocation.