AIM: To investigate the serum antibody of aquaporin 4(AQP4-Ab)in positive expression rate and the significance in patients with neuritis.

METHODS: A total of 98 cases(128 eyes)of patients with optic neuritis were studied to detect the patient's serum AQP4-Ab positive rate of antinuclear antibodies(ANAs)from Jan. 2012 to Dec. 2015 in ophthalmology center of our hospital. According to the expression of AQP4-Ab group, the best corrected visual acuity between the two groups, peripapillary nerve fiber layer thickness(pRNFL), the volume of the macula, macular RNFL(mRNFL), macular core layer volume(mINL)measurement were compared.

RESULTS: Ninety-eight patients(128 eyes)with optic neuritis cases diagnosed through examination revealed AQP4-Ab positive in 22 patients(22%), negative in 76 patients(78%), ANAs positive in 21 patients(21%), negative 77 patients(79%). Optic neuritis patients with serum AQP4-Ab positive rate and ANAs positive significant correlation(r=0.707, P<0.05). After examination revealed AQP4-Ab patients and negative-positive patients with best corrected visual acuity difference was not statistically significance(P>0.05). After inspection found pRNFL, macular volume measured value AQP4-Ab positive patients were significantly less than the negative patients, the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05). AQP4-Ab positive patients and negative patients the mRNFL, mINL measured values were not significantly different(P>0.05).

CONCLUSION:AQP4-Ab and ANAs expression in optic neuritis patients is a significant correlation. AQP4-Ab positive patients with optic neuritis pRNFL thinning of macular volume are decreased compared with negative patients.