Optic Neuritis + positive ANA 1:2560

Hi

My wife (35 years old) was diagnosed with Optic Neuritis in the left eye in Sept. last year - 5 weeks after natural delivery of our second child. She never had ON before or complained of any neurological symptoms. She did an MRI and there were no signs of demylination or white matter. The Opthalmologist recommended to have no medications. Her sight returned from 6/6 to 6/24 with about 50% visual field loss in 6 months then stopped improving.

She did blood test in March this year and found very high titre of ANA 1:2560 with homogenuous pattern. Anti DNA was negative (normal levels). She saw a Rheumatologist. He did some more blood tests and excluded Lupus. She doesnot have any joint pains or rash or any SLE symptoms. He said no connection between the ANA and the ON and she could be of those few on earth who have naturally high ANA.

I find it wierd to be of those few who get idiopathic ON and also of those few who have high ANA.

Any thoughts or recommendations?

Thanks

[Eskander]

One more thing to add

She comes from the Middle East (MS is very rare) and has been living in Australia for 5 years

[ampky]

Has the doc dicussed what the positive ANA could be?  If not, you may want to seek-out another doc.It sounds like (I'm not a doc.) it might be some type of vasculitis (also known as angiitis, which is inflammation.  It might or might not be a part of lupus.).  A Sedimentation Rate blood test can be done to help indicate inflammation.

From a website, a positive ANA can indicate:

ANAs are found in patients who have various autoimmune diseases, but not only autoimmune diseases. ANAs can be found also in patients with infections, cancer, lung diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, hormonal diseases, blood diseases, skin diseases, and in elderly people or people with a family history of rheumatic disease. ANAs are actually found in about 5% of the normal population.

More info can be found at: http://arthritis.about.com/od/diagnostic/a/ana.htm

[Eskander]

Thanks Ampky

Yes she saw a Rheumatologist who excluded any significance of the ANA after doing more blood tests and examinations. He said we wait and watch if something comes up in the future but he reckons nothing will happen as she might be one of those 5%.

But again I find it wierd to be of those few who get idiopathic ON and also of those few who have high ANA. I have a feeling there should be a relation between the 2.

[ampky]

I don't think I'd "wait and watch if something comes up in the future", especially with ON.  I think you're doing the right thing by doing some research and seeing what is out there among possibilities. Since it correlates so closely with the birth of your second child, you may want to explore with an endocrinologist the hormonal possibilities (and remember to take copies of all the previous test done with you).

I wish you and your family the best!