The Early Effect of Nerve Growth Factor in the Management of Serious Optic Nerve Contusion

Objective: the aim was to investigate the early effect of nerve growth factor in the management of serious optic nerve contusion (ONC).

Methods: nine patients with unilateral serious optic nerve contusion (seven males and two females) were enrolled in this study. Corticosteroid, energy mixture, red sage root, vitamins B1 and B12 were used for all patients within three weeks after trauma. Five of the nine patients were injected intramuscularly with 30 microg/time of nerve growth factor solution (once a day for a total of 14 days). Each patient was subjected to pattern visual evoked potential (VEP) examination and visual field test before and 14 days after treatment.

Results: the visual acuity, latency of P100 in VEP and mean deviation in Humphrey Field Analyzer of all patients were improved after 14 days. The subtraction of latency of P100 in VEP between pre- and post-treatment showed a significant difference between the nerve growth factor treatment patients and the control patients (p = 0.015).

Conclusion: the application of NGF within three weeks after trauma could promote the recovery of visual function in the patients with serious optic nerve contusion.