-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: To identify a clinically meaningful threshold for change in retinal thickness measured by optical coherence tomography for patients with uveitic macular edema using correlation with change in visual acuity.
Cross-sectional and longitudinal study.
One hundred twenty-eight eyes (101 individuals) with macular edema enrolled in the Multicenter Uveitis Steroid Treatment (MUST) trial. At enrollment and after 6 months of follow-up, retinal thickness was measured at the central subfield with time-domain optical coherence tomography and visual acuity was measured with logarithmic (Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study) visual acuity charts. Participants were classified as having macular edema if the retinal thickness was 260 μm or more.
A threshold for change in retinal center subfield thickness of 20% balanced the percentage of false positives and false negatives for predicting more than a 10-letter change in visual acuity with a sensitivity of 77% and a specificity of 75%. The results were similar for more than 5-letter changes and for 15-letter or more changes. Those with a 20% or more reduction in retinal thickness had a mean 11.0-letter improvement (95% confidence interval, 7.7 to 14.3) as compared with a -0.4-letter change (95% confidence interval, -4.1 to 3.3) in visual acuity for those without a 20% reduction (P < .01).
In addition to being above the level of measurement uncertainty, a 20% change in retinal thickness in patients with macular edema seems to be optimal for clinically important changes in visual acuity and may be considered as an outcome for clinical trials of treatments for uveitic macular edema.
American journal of ophthalmology 08/2011; 152(6):1044-1052.e5. · 3.83 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to determine the practice patterns of ophthalmologists in the management of fungal corneal ulcers.
In December 2007, a survey of 13 questions addressing the actual and preferred treatment of fungal ulcers was sent to the kera-net e-mail listserv facilitated by the Cornea Society.
Ninety-two respondents from North America, South America, Asia, Europe, and Australia participated by completing the electronic questionnaire. Natamycin was the most commonly used topical treatment for ulcers caused by filamentous fungi (96%) followed by amphotericin (75%) and voriconazole (63%). However, voriconazole was most often listed as the preferred topical treatment in an ideal world (79%) compared with 55% for natamycin. Approximately half of the respondents use combination topical therapy (56%) and the remainder monotherapy. The majority of respondents rescrape the epithelium at some time during the course of treatment, but the frequency of rescraping varied among the different topical treatments. The most common reasons cited for not using their preferred treatment were cost and a desire for further evidence to support preferred treatment.
There appears to be significant variation in the management of fungal corneal ulcers. Although natamycin was the most commonly used treatment for ulcers caused by filamentous fungi, voriconazole was the most preferred as the ideal treatment. These results highlight the need for more evidence regarding the efficacy of the newer topical antifungals.
Cornea 09/2009; 28(8):856-9. · 1.73 Impact Factor
-
The British journal of ophthalmology 04/2008; 92(3):435-6. · 2.92 Impact Factor
-
British Journal of Ophthalmology 11/2007; 91(10):1414. · 2.90 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: To compare the clinical features and antibiotic susceptibility of ocular methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA).
Cross-sectional study.
The Proctor clinical laboratory database was reviewed to identify all ocular isolates of S. aureus collected between July 1, 1998 and July 31, 2006.
Of 915 S. aureus isolates, there were 88 MRSA isolates in 41 different patients. The proportion MRSA increased from 4.1% in 1998 to 1999 to 16.7% in 2005 to 2006. A total of 78.0% of patients with MRSA had blepharoconjunctivitis, 2.4% had cellulitis, 2.4% had dacryocystitis, 14.6% had keratitis, and 2.4% had endophthalmitis. The diagnoses associated with MSSA were not statistically different. A total of 63.6% of MRSA isolates were sensitive to bacitracin, 100% to vancomycin, 14.8% to ciprofloxacin, 14.8% to erythromycin, 97.7% to sulfisoxazole, and 93.2% to tetracycline.
MRSA has become a more common ocular pathogen but, as with MSSA, causes mild disease. MRSA should be treated with vancomycin.
American Journal of Ophthalmology 09/2007; 144(2):313-5. · 4.22 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: To compare polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results to presumptive clinical diagnosis in patients with vitritis.
Retrospective review of PCR laboratory records from vitreous samples.
Fifty consecutive laboratory records of vitreous samples sent for PCR testing were reviewed. Three reviewers with uveitis training ranked the clinical suspicion of a specific diagnosis using a classification system (scale of 1 to 4) and were masked to the PCR results.
The degree of clinical suspicion of a particular diagnosis was significantly associated with a positive PCR result (P = .048). Higher clinical suspicion was significantly more associated with a positive PCR result compared with cases with lower clinical suspicion (P = .01).
If the clinical suspicion of a specific diagnosis is low, the PCR for any infectious etiology is unlikely to be positive.
American Journal of Ophthalmology 04/2006; 141(3):584-5. · 4.22 Impact Factor
-
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: To recognize discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) as a treatable cause of chronic blepharoconjunctivitis.
Retrospective observational case series.
Records of 5 patients with biopsy-proven DLE were reviewed.
Clinical and pathology records were examined.
Patients' clinical and histopathological characteristics and response to treatment were assessed.
Clinical features included meibomian gland dysfunction, blepharitis, chalazia, trichiasis, madarosis, conjunctivitis, chronic eyelid edema, and eyelid plaques. Histopathology showed hyperkeratotic epithelium, degeneration of the basal cell layer, and a perivascular lymphocytic infiltrate. There was delayed diagnosis in all cases, ranging from 4 months to 25 years. All of the patients responded to systemic hydroxychloroquine therapy.
Heightened awareness of eyelid DLE may lead to earlier detection and specific therapy for this chronic disorder.
Ophthalmology 06/2005; 112(5):e19-23. · 5.45 Impact Factor
-
International Ophthalmology Clinics 02/2004; 44(3):33-9.
