Erythropoietin Reduces Axonal Loss After Optic Neuritis

Erythropoietin (EPO) is thought to provide trophic support to the nervous system, as demonstrated in animal models of optic neuritis and other models of brain injury. Researchers conducted this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study to investigate the efficacy of EPO in the setting of a first demyelinating event of optic neuritis. Forty patients who presented within 10 days of optic neuritis onset received a daily injection of EPO or placebo on 3 consecutive days; each injection was preceded by an infusion of 1000 mg of methylprednisolone.

At 16 weeks, the primary outcome — thinning from baseline of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), visualized by optical coherence tomography — was significantly less in the EPO group tha…