[Myelin fibers in Zairian patients]

Abstract

Purpose: to determinate the characteristics of myelinated nerve fibres in Zairian blacks patients.

Methods: a review of records of patients with myelinated nerve fibers seen from 1962 to 1994.

Results: the relative incidence of myelinated nerve fibers was 0.02%. There were 13 (76%) male patients and 4 (24%) female patients. The average age at the moment of diagnosis was 32 years (range, 7 to 61 years). Myelinated nerve fibers were bilateral in 8 (47%) patients (16 of 25 eyes, 64%) and unilateral nerve fibers, 21 (84%) eyes contained a single lesion and 4 (16%) eyes contained multiple separate and distinct patches of myelinated fibers. Continuous lesions were present in 21 (84%) eyes and discontinuous lesions in 4 (16%) eyes. The 25 affected eyes varied in refractive error from a spherical equivalent of + 1.5 to - 16.00. The distribution of refraction was: emmetropia in 2 (12%) patients (2 eyes, 8%), simple myopia in 4 (24%) patients (5 eyes, 20%), myopia over 6 D with amblyopia in 6 (35%) patients (10 eyes, 40%), hypermetropia in 5 (29%) patients (8 eyes, 32%).

Conclusion: this study showed a low relative incidence of myelinated nerve fibers and the bilaterality of lesions was frequent.