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Antituberculosis medication as a possible epigenetic factor of Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy
Author(s) -
Seo Je Hyun,
Hwang JeongMin,
Park Sung Sup
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
clinical and experimental ophthalmology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.3
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1442-9071
pISSN - 1442-6404
DOI - 10.1111/j.1442-9071.2010.02240.x
Subject(s) - leber's hereditary optic neuropathy , medicine , optic neuropathy , ethambutol , epigenetics , ophthalmology , pediatrics , risk factor , genetics , optic nerve , tuberculosis , pathology , isoniazid , biology , gene
A bstract Purpose: To investigate if antituberculosis medication including ethambutol could be a possible epigenetic factor in visual loss in Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON). Methods: The authors reviewed the medical records of 46 patients registered at Bundang Seoul National University Hospital from 2002 to 2006, who developed the typical clinical neuro‐ophthalmologic features of LHON and possessed a mtDNA mutation at nucleotide 11778, 14484, 3460 or 4171. Results: Three of the 46 patients developed visual loss while taking antituberculosis medication. These three patients had the mtDNA 11778 mutation with a mean age of 32.7 years at the onset of visual loss, whereas the mean age of other 43 patients was 21.2 years. One of these three patients was female. Conclusion: Antituberculosis medication may be an epigenetic factor of LHON in patients with a primary LHON mutation. This risk should be recognized by physicians and LHON carriers.