A 37-year-old woman presenting with impaired visual function during antituberculosis drug therapy: a case report

Abstract Introduction Combination antituberculosis drug therapy remains the mainstay of treating tuberculosis. Unfortunately, antituberculosis drugs produce side effects including (toxic) impaired visual function, which may be irreversible. We report a case of antituberculosis-drug-induced impaired visual function that was reversed following early detection and attention. Case presentation A 37-year-old Yoruba woman, weighing 48 kg, presented to our facility with impaired visual functions and mild sensory polyneuropathy in about the fourth month of antituberculosis treatment. Her therapy comprised ethambutol 825 mg, isoniazid 225 mg, rifampicin 450 mg, and pyrazinamide 1200 mg. Her visual acuity was 6/60 in her right eye and 1/60 in her left eye. She had sluggish pupils, red-green dyschromatopsia, hyperemic optic discs and central visual field defects. Her intraocular pressure was 14 mmHg. Her liver and kidney functions were essentially normal. Screening for human immunodeficiency virus was not reactive. Her impaired visual function improved following prompt diagnosis and attention, including the discontinuation of medication. Conclusions The ethambutol and isoniazid in antituberculosis medication are notorious for causing impaired visual function. The diagnosis of ocular toxicity from antituberculosis drugs should never be delayed, and should be possible with the patient's history and simple but basic eye examinations and tests. Tight weight-based antituberculosis therapy, routine peri-therapy visual function monitoring towards early detection of impaired function, and prompt attention will reduce avoidable ocular morbidity.</p

Self-reported reactogenicity of CoronaVac (Sinovac) compared with Comirnaty (Pfizer-BioNTech): A prospective cohort study with intensive monitoring

OBJECTIVE: CoronaVac (Sinovac) Covid-19 vaccine has recently been approved for emergency use by the World Health Organization. However, data on its reactogenicity in real-world settings is scant. This study aimed to compare self-reported post-vaccination adverse reactions between CoronaVac and Comirnaty (Pfizer-BioNTech). METHODS: We adopted a prospective cohort study design using online surveys from the day of first-dose vaccination with intensive follow-up through two weeks after the second dose (11 time points). The primary outcome was adverse reactions (any versus none) and secondary outcomes were the sub-categories of adverse reactions (local, systemic, and severe allergic reactions). Potential effect modification across multimorbidity status, older age, and sex was examined. RESULTS: In total, 2,098 participants who were scheduled to complete the 14th-day survey were included, with 46.2% receiving Comirnaty. Retention rate two weeks after the second dose was 81.0% for the CoronaVac group and 83.6% for the Comirnaty group. Throughout the follow-up period, 801 (82.7%) of those receiving Comirnaty and 543 (48.1%) of those receiving CoronaVac reported adverse reactions. Adjusted analysis suggested that compared with Comirnaty, CoronaVac was associated with 83%-reduced odds of any adverse reactions [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.17, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.15–0.20], 92%-reduced odds of local adverse reactions (AOR = 0.08, 95% CI 0.06–0.09), and 76%-reduced odds of systemic adverse reactions (AOR = 0.24, 95% CI 0.16–0.28). No significant effect modification was identified. CONCLUSION: This post-marketing study comparing the reactogenicity of Covid-19 vaccines suggests a lower risk of self-reported adverse reactions following vaccination with CoronaVac compared with Comirnaty

The electroretinogram:a useful tool for evaluating age-related macular disease?

With an ageing population, the number of age-related macular disease (ARMD) cases will inevitably rise. This gives greater impetus for the need to identify the disease earlier and assess treatments to slow disease progression. Differing electroretinogram (ERG) modalities have been reviewed in relation to the objective assessment of retinal function in ARMD and for monitoring the effectiveness of clinical interventions. Conflicting results have been found with regard to the efficacy of ERG findings in the investigation of ARMD in previous years. The newer multifocal ERG paradigm provides spatial topographical information about retinal function in ARMD. It has shown promising results in monitoring effectiveness of clinical interventions and studies are continuing in this area. Better knowledge of retinal function in ARMD may lead to enhanced treatments at each phase of the disease

Guidance for Developers of Health Research Reporting Guidelines

David Moher and colleagues from the EQUATOR network offer guidance and recommended steps for developing health research reporting guidelines

Results of trabeculectomy with adjunctive intraoperative mitomycin C in Chinese patients with glaucoma

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To report the results of trabeculectomy with adjunctive intraoperative mitomycin C in Chinese patients with glaucoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The medical records of Chinese patients who received trabeculectomy with intraoperative mitomycin C from 1992 to 1998 were retrospectively reviewed. A "successful" trabeculectomy was defined as one after which the intraocular pressure (IOP) could be controlled to between 5 and 21 mm Hg, inclusive, with no more than 3 glaucoma medications. RESULTS: One hundred fourteen trabeculectomies in 105 eyes of 90 patients were retrospectively reviewed. Mean age ± standard deviation was 48.1 ± 21.9 years. Primary open-angle glaucoma (43.0%) and angle-closure glaucoma (27.2%) were the most common diagnoses leading to trabeculectomy. The mean follow-up ± standard deviation was 29.6 ± 18.6 months (range, 6 to 92 months). The overall success rate at the last follow-up was 73.7% (84 of 114 trabeculectomies). CONCLUSIONS: Trabeculectomy with mitomycin C is a safe and effective procedure for the control of IOP in Chinese patients with glaucoma.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Do doctors act on their self-reported intention to computerize? A follow-up population-based survey in Hong Kong

Background and objectives: We performed a follow-up survey to document changes in the level of computerization among physicians in Hong Kong between 2000 and 2001, specifically examining whether their self-reported intention to computerize various clinical or administrative tasks actually translated into computerization of these tasks 1 year later. Determining such a relationship will indicate the reliability, and thus the utility of questions regarding self-reported intention to computerize clinical practice. Methods: A self-completed follow-up postal questionnaire was sent to all 949 physicians who responded to the original questionnaire. Pairwise repeated dichotomous responses from 2000 and 2001 on the computerization of specific functions were compared using McNemar test. Wilcoxon sign-ranked test was employed to compare the total number of tasks computerized in the 2 years. Multivariate logistic regression modeling was carried out to determine predictors for the translation of intention to computerize into actual computerization. Results: The response rate was 77.0%. There was a significant increase in the number of tasks computerized for both "corporate" and "individual" practices between 2000 and 2001. The proportion of physicians who intended to computerize and actually computerized ranged from 7.7 to 51.0% for different tasks. For five clinical tasks, more than 50% respondents in corporate practices translated the intention to implementation, compared to fewer than 20% in individual practices. Predictors found to be associated with the translation of intention to computerize into actual computerization included higher number of tasks intended to computerize, higher number of tasks already computerized, and more positive physicians' attitudes on the impact of computerization to clinical practice. Conclusions: We conclude that physicians' self-reported intention to computerize the clinical practice 12 months previously was moderately associated with actual implementation, with varying degrees of concordance for different clinical and administrative tasks. The identified predictors for the translation of intention to actual computerization may be useful in targeting specific strategies to promote computerization of clinical practice. © 2004 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma of the sphenoid sinus mimicking optic neuritis presenting with intermittent visual loss in an adult

Wendong Liu,1 Libin Jiang,1 Yulan Jin,2 Bentao Yang,3 Timothy YY Lai4 1Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Key Laboratory, 2Department of Pathology, 3Department of Radiology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 4Department of Ophthalmology &amp; Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, People&rsquo;s Republic of China Abstract: A 23-year-old male with intermittent visual loss in his left eye for 4 months was originally treated as optic neuritis elsewhere. Upon presentation to our hospital (Beijing Tongren Hospital), his left eye visual acuity was reduced to hand motion at face. The left eye ocular motility was limited in upgaze, downgaze, adduction, and abduction. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed lesions in the sphenoid and ethmoid sinuses, orbital apex and carvernous sinus invading adjacent extraocular muscles. Endoscopic ethmo-sphenoidostomy and debulking surgery was performed and histopathology of the specimen demonstrated alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. Despite having treatment with a combination of orbital radiation therapy and systemic chemotherapy, the patient developed generalized metastasis with cachexia and the left eye became no light perception due to optic atrophy. Keywords: alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, sphenoid sinus, optic neuritis, misdiagnosi

Quality of reporting of key methodological items of randomized controlled trials in clinical ophthalmic journals

Purpose: To evaluate the reporting quality of key methodological items in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in four general clinical ophthalmology journals.Methods: The reporting of 11 key methodological items in RCTs published in American Journal of Ophthalmology, Archives of Ophthalmology, British Journal of Ophthalmology and Ophthalmology in the year 2005 was assessed. Results: Sixty-seven eligible RCTs were assessed and the mean number of items reported was 6.3 per RCT. No significant difference in the mean number of items reported was found between the four journals (P = 0.20). The most frequently reported item was ethics approval and informed consent (97.0%), followed by masking status (85.1%), description of withdrawals (76.1%), adverse events (73.1%), and intention-to-treat analysis (71.6%). Details on sequence generation, randomization restriction, allocation concealment, allocation implementation, patient flow diagrams, and sample size calculation were reported in < 50% of the RCTs assessed. Both sample size and page length of the RCTs correlated with the number of methodological items reported (P = 0.024 and P = 0.008, respectively). Conclusions: Similar to other specialties, rooms for improvement exist in the reporting of key methodological items of RCTs in clinical ophthalmic journals. Stricter adoption of the CONSORT statement might enhance the reporting quality of RCTs in ophthalmic journals. Copyright © 2007 Informa Healthcare USA, Inc.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

How evidence-based are publications in clinical ophthalmic journals?

PURPOSE. To evaluate the methodological quality and level of evidence of publications in four leading general clinical ophthalmology journals. METHODS. All 1919 articles published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology, Archives of Ophthalmology, British Journal of Ophthalmology, and Ophthalmology in 2004 were reviewed. The methodological rigor and the level of evidence in the articles were rated according to the McMaster Hedges Project criteria and the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine levels of evidence. RESULTS. Overall, 196 (24.4%) of the 804 publications that were included for assessment met the Hedges criteria. Articles on economics evaluation and those on prognosis achieved the highest passing rate, with 80.0% and 74.4% of articles, respectively, meeting the Hedges criteria. Publications on etiology, diagnosis, and treatment fared less well, with respective passing rates of 28.3%, 20.2%, and 14.7%. Published systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials were uncommon in the ophthalmic literature, at least in these four journals during 2004. According to the Oxford criteria, 57.6% of the articles were classified as level 4 evidence compared with 18.1% classified as level 1. Articles on prognosis had the highest proportion (43.0%) rated as level 1 evidence. Generally, articles that reached the Hedges threshold were rated higher on the level-of-evidence scale (Spermans ρ = 0.73; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS. The methodological quality of publications in the clinical ophthalmic literature was comparable to that in the literature of other specialties. There was substantial heterogeneity in quality between different types of articles. Future methodological improvements should focus on the areas identified as having the largest deficiencies. Copyright © Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Ophthalmic manifestations and risk factors for mortality of HIV patients in the post-highly active anti-retroviral therapy era

Background: To evaluate the ophthalmic manifestations and risk factors for mortality in HIV patients in the post-highly active anti-retrovirus therapy (HAART) era. Design: Retrospective study. Samples: 151 patients with HIV infection. Methods: Review of all HIV patients who have attended the Hong Kong Eye Hospital between 2000 and 2007. Main Outcome Measures: Ocular findings especially opportunistic infections and medical information including mortality during follow up. Results: At presentation, 139 (92.1%) patients were already diagnosed with HIV and 58 (41.7%) had an AIDS indicator condition. Fifty-one (33.8%) patients had HIV-related eye disease on presentation and the leading manifestations were cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis and HIV microangiopathy. Low baseline CD4 cell count <100 cells/L was significantly related with HIV-related ophthalmic manifestations and CMV retinitis at presentation (P<0.013). 105 patients were followed for 6 months or more and the mean follow-up was 4.8 years. There was no significant change in visual acuity compared with baseline (P=0.13). 20 (19.0%) patients had one eye with final visual acuity of 20/200 or worse and the leading cause for poor vision was CMV retinitis. 11 (10.5%) patients died during the follow-up due to complications of HIV/AIDS. The presence of HIV retinal microangiopathy was significantly associated with mortality (P=0.005). Conclusions: CMV retinitis remains the main HIV-related ocular disease in the post-HAART era. HIV retinal microangiopathy might be an important prognostic factor for mortality. Appropriate ophthalmic monitoring is justified to detect for ophthalmic complications in HIV patients regardless of HAART use in order for prompt initiation of treatment. © 2010 The Authors. Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology © 2010 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.link_to_subscribed_fulltex