Citicoline Treatment of Children with Visual Impairment; a Pilot Study

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the use of citicoline in children with visual impairment and its result in improvement of high and low contrast acuity, and to see, if citicoline effects were different in children with low vision due to retinal/optic nerve disease and central visual deprivation.

Material and Methods: The twenty-two children in this study were divided into a group of eleven with Visual Deprivation Amblyopia (VDA) and eleven with Peripheral Visual Impairment (PVI). Each child received 10 intramuscular injections containing 1 g of citicoline. Changes in visual acuity were assessed with high contrast and low contrast acuity tests applied at baseline (day 1), day 30 and day 90. Statistical analysis was done with an ANOVA model to analyze both the within and between group effects of the citicoline-treatment.

Results: Visual acuity increased in both groups of children but the changes were not statistically significant. Clinical assessment of acuity changes showed more rapid improvement in the VDA than in the PVI group. Decline of acuity 90 days after treatment was more often seen in the VDA than in the PVI group

Conclusions: Treatment with citicoline for a short period can improve contrast visual acuity in children with visual impairment. Further work is needed to determine the clinical relevance of citicoline treatment in visual impairment.