Ocular hypotensive effect, preservation of visual fields, and safety of adding dorzolamide to prostaglandin therapy for twelve months

Kenji Inoue1,3, Mieko Masumoto1,3, Masato Wakakura1, Goji Tomita2, On behalf of the Ochanomizu Ophthalmology Study Group31Inouye Eye Hospital, Tokyo, Japan; 2Department of Ophthalmology, Toho University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan; 3Ochanomizu Ophthalmology, Tokyo, JapanPurpose: To prospectively evaluate the safety, hypotensive effect, and preservation of visual fields of dorzolamide when added to latanoprost.Subjects and methods: This study included 46 patients (46 eyes) with primary open-angle glaucoma who had been treated with latanoprost. Dorzolamide (1%) was added to latanoprost, and the intraocular pressure (IOP) was monitored before and after 3, 6, and 12 months. The mean deviation shown by Humphrey perimetry was compared before and after twelve months of treatment. Adverse reactions were monitored over the 12-month study period.Results: The mean baseline IOP was 17.2 ± 3.0 mmHg while those after 3, 6 and 12 months of treatment were 14.9 ± 3.0 mmHg, 14.5 ± 3.2 mmHg, and 14.6 ± 2.6 mmHg respectively (P < 0.0001, 1-ß(power) = 0.9999571). The absolute reduction of IOP and the percent reduction were similar after 3, 6, and 12 months of treatment. The mean deviation on Humphrey perimetry was similar before and after twelve months of treatment. Three patients discontinued dorzolamide therapy due to elevation of IOP and one patient discontinued it because of adverse reactions.Conclusion: Dorzolamide is safe and effective when used for twelve months as add-on therapy to latanoprost for open-angle glaucoma.Keywords: dorzolamide, primary open-angle glaucoma, latanoprost&nbsp

Intraoperative Heparin Injection Reduced D-dimer and TAT Levels after Total Hip Arthroplasty

Recently, the incidences of pulmonary embolism (PE) and/or deep vein thrombosis (DVT) after orthopedic operation increased in Japan. However the effective prevention methods have not been established yet. To make the effective prevention of PE and/or DVT after total hip arthroplasty (THA), we investigated the time-dependent changes of serum thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT) and D-dimer levels after THA. We measured changes of serum TAT, and D-dimer levels (before, on day 1, day 5, week 2 and week 4 after operation). Twenty-six women (mean age 64.5 years old), who had undergone THA for osteoarthritis of the hip joint were enrolled and divided into two groups at random. One group had been intravenously injected with 1,000 units of heparin during THA (IH Group, 14 patients), and the other group had not been injected (NH Group, 12 patients). No patients showed clinical PE and/or, DVT. The levels of TAT and D-dimer in IH group significantly reduced compared with these in NH group on the fifth and first postoperative day, respectively (p Our data suggests that intravenous heparin injection during THA might be a potentially effective and safe strategy for prophylaxis of PE after THA

Quantum key distribution with an efficient countermeasure against correlated intensity fluctuations in optical pulses

Quantum key distribution (QKD) allows two distant parties to share secret keys with the proven security even in the presence of an eavesdropper with unbounded computational power. Recently, GHz-clock decoy QKD systems have been realized by employing ultrafast optical communication devices. However, security loopholes of high-speed systems have not been fully explored yet. Here we point out a security loophole at the transmitter of the GHz-clock QKD, which is a common problem in high-speed QKD systems using practical band-width limited devices. We experimentally observe the inter-pulse intensity correlation and modulation-pattern dependent intensity deviation in a practical high-speed QKD system. Such correlation violates the assumption of most security theories. We also provide its countermeasure which does not require significant changes of hardware and can generate keys secure over 100 km fiber transmission. Our countermeasure is simple, effective and applicable to wide range of high-speed QKD systems, and thus paves the way to realize ultrafast and security-certified commercial QKD systems

Iris and periocular adverse reactions to bimatoprost in Japanese patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension

Kenji Inoue1, Minako Shiokawa1, Michitaka Sugahara1, Risako Higa1, Masato Wakakura1, Goji Tomita21Inouye Eye Hospital, Tokyo, Japan; 2Second Department of Ophthalmology, Toho University School of Medicine, Tokyo, JapanPurpose: To prospectively investigate adverse reactions to bimatoprost in Japanese patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension. We also examined patient attitudes to adverse reactions via a questionnaire.Methods: Fifty-two Japanese patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension were enrolled. Iridial, eyelid, and eyelash photographs were taken before and at 6 months after bimatoprost treatment. Increase in eyelid pigmentation, iridial pigmentation, eyelash growth and bristle, and vellus hair of the lid was assessed from the photographs. Questionnaires completed by patients provided insight into their subjective judgment of adverse reactions.Results: Increase in eyelash bristle (53.8%), iris pigmentation (50.0%), eyelash growth (46.2%), vellus hair of the lid (40.4%), and eyelid pigmentation (7.7%) was evident after bimatoprost treatment. The objective and subjective assessments were in agreement in terms of increase in eyelash bristle, eyelash growth, and increase in vellus hair of the lid.Conclusion: Most patients were conscious of these adverse reactions. Before administering bimatoprost, sufficient explanation of potential adverse reactions should be provided; after initiating treatment, careful observation is required.Keywords: bimatoprost, adverse reaction, eyelid pigmentation, changes in eyelashes, iris pigmentation&nbsp