The Patient's Clinical Profile From a Neuro-Ophthalmology Center in Brazil: A Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Neuro-ophthalmology (NO) is a subspeciality of Ophthalmology, which represents more than an intersection of Neurology and Ophthalmology. The present report highlights the increasing importance of the subspeciality in Brazil and provides a unique retrospective study of the patient's clinical profile of a NO reference center.

METHODS: Our study was retrospectively planned aiming to identify all neuro-ophthalmic cases of Instituto de Olhos of the Medical School Faculdade Ciências Médicas de Minas Gerais from August 2013 to March 2022.The first clinical diagnostic impression was selected from a predetermined list of 18 neuro-ophthalmologic conditions. Some NO conditions were eventually reclassified during the follow-up as the final clinical diagnosis impression. The concordance between the first and final clinical impressions was also investigated, as well as the patient's referral source.

RESULTS: The sample comprised 903 patients from which 56.4% were female. The mean age was 51.48 ± 20.93 years. Males were more frequent in lower age groups <1 year (n = 3, 100%) and 1-9 years (n = 19/37, 51.4%). An external referral source represented 23.1%, and patients referred after basic ophthalmic consultation and from glaucoma service were 30.3% and 23.2%, respectively. The most encountered first clinical diagnostic impressions were isolated optic atrophy (13.1%), non-neuro-ophthalmic disease (11.7%), optic disc abnormalities (10.4%), ischemic optic neuropathies/retinal vascular occlusions (10.2%), and other visual field defects (9.0%). The kappa concordance coefficient among the first and final clinical diagnostic impressions was 0.53 (95% CI 0.48-0.59), indicating a moderate concordance level. The concordance among the most frequent diagnoses was lower in isolated optic atrophy (33%), other visual field defects (41%), and idiopathic optic neuritis (40%).

CONCLUSIONS: Due to the limited number of epidemiology studies in neuro-ophthalmology, we highlight the importance of a NO service in the public health system in Brazil. It may certainly contribute to better strategy plan assistance among professionals and health care managers. This report should seemingly stimulate other studies regarding the relevant and unique features of this subspeciality, which is undoubtedly increasing its importance among patients, and in the scientific community worldwide.