Prevalence and characteristics of peripheral retinal degeneration in Chinese adults with high myopia: a cross-sectional prevalence survey.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to study the prevalence of peripheral retinal findings in adult Chinese patients with high myopia (refraction < or = -6.00 D) and to investigate the correlation between the retinal lesions and the severity of myopia or axial length. METHODS: A cross-sectional prevalence survey screening was conducted in high ethnic Chinese myopes with refractions equal to or less than -6.00 D. The examinations included cycloplegic refraction, A and B scan ultrasonography, and retinal examinations by indirect ophthalmoscopy with scleral indentation and Goldmann three-mirror contact lens examination. RESULTS: Two hundred thirteen eyes in 213 patients with a mean refraction of -10.10 +/- 4.23 D (range = -6.00 to -27.00 D) were examined. The mean axial length was 26.69 +/- 1.68 mm (range = 25.18-33.62 mm) and the mean age was 33.5 +/- 10.6 years (range = 18-73 years). The most common peripheral retinal finding was pigmentary degeneration (51.2%), followed by lattice degeneration in 12.2% and retinal holes in 7.5% of eyes. A positive correlation was noted between axial length and the lesions of pigmentary degeneration and pavingstone degeneration. The prevalence of retinal holes was 6.4% and 30.0% in eyes with axial length of < 30 mm and > or = 30 mm, respectively (chi-squared test, p = 0.006). CONCLUSION: A high prevalence of peripheral retinal degenerations was found in adult Chinese high myopes. The presence of retinal holes was positively correlated with very high myopia of an axial length of > or = 30 mm.     

Gender differences in use and availability of home and community-based services for people with dementia.

The purpose was to examine the use and availability of home and community-based services by men and women with dementia using data from the 2003 Canadian Community Health Survey. Variables of interest were based on the Andersen and Newman model and included predisposing, enabling, need, and use of health service variables, perceived unmet health and home care needs, and availability of home and community-based health services.Women reported better health and received more supportive care yet had more unmet home care needs than men.Thus, the caregivers of men with dementia (often their wives) were particularly vulnerable to negative outcomes, as their care recipients had poorer health yet received fewer services. These gender differences should be considered when policies and programs are developed, the needs of care recipients and caregivers are assessed, and services are provided.     

Allergic nephropathy associated with ciprofloxacin

We report a case of ciprofloxacin-related allergic tubulointerstitial nephritis, which manifested as nonoliguric renal failure, eosinophilia, and eosinophiluria. Our patient responded to discontinuation of ciprofloxacin therapy and oral administration of a brief course of corticosteroids. Although rare, allergic tubulointerstitial nephritis apparently can be caused by ciprofloxacin therapy. Clinicians should be aware of this entity.     

HOUSE DUST MITE ALLERGEN （Derp1 AND Blot5） LEVELS IN ASTHMATICS＇ HOME IN HONGKONG

Objective To measure Derpl and Blot5 allergen levels in asthmatics' homes in Hongkong.Methods Seventy houses were enrolled for a mite indoor environment study. Dust samples were obtained from two sites of each patients' house: bed and floor. Derpl and Blot5 levels were quantified by a two-site monoclonal antibody-based ELISA technique.Results The levels of Derpl allergens found in bed (geometric mean (GM) 3.43 μg/g of dust; 95%CI, 1.89-4.96 μg/g)and on the floor (GM 1.12 μg/g of dust; 95%CI, 0.71-1.53 μg/g) indicated significant differences (P=0.005). However, the levels of Blot5 allergens found in bed (GM 19.00 μg/g of dust; 95%CI, 0.89-38.90 μg/g) and on the floor (GM 6.14 μg/g of dust; 95%CI, 0.40-11.90 μg/g) showed no statistically significant difference. In addition, in regards to the exposure index for Derpl and Blot5 allergens found in bed and on the floor, 17.6% in bed and 8.6% on the floor had levels of Blot5 ≥ 10 μg/g of dust, higher than those obtained for Derp1 (7.2% and 0% in bed and on the floor respectively, P＜ 0.05); higher percentages in bed and on the floor (25.0% and 35.7%) were observed for levels of Blot5 =0 μg/g of dust as compared with Derpl in bed and on the floor (4.3% and 14.5% respectively, P＜ 0.05).Conclusions Derpl and Blot5 are the major allergens found in this regional study, Blot5 is a more potent allergen in Hongkong, probably reflecting the high level of exposure to Blomia tropicalis (Bt). Bt and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dp) allergens should be included for precise diagnosis and effective immuno-therapeutic treatment of mite allergy in Hongkong.     

A prospective assessment of quality of life after endoscopic intubation and laser therapy for malignant dysphagia.

BACKGROUND. This study evaluated the effect of endoscopic treatment for malignant dysphagia on quality of life (QL) as part of a prospective comparison of Nd:YAG laser therapy and intubation. METHODS. Two QL instruments were used: the Quality of Life Index (QLI) and a Linear Analogue Self-Assessment (LASA). Only 23 of 43 patients receiving laser therapy and 15 of 30 having endoscopic intubation agreed to partake in QL assessment; serial measurements until death were obtained in 13 and 9 patients, respectively. RESULTS. Dysphagia grade (DG) as measured on a 5-point scale, correlated significantly with LASA (n = 92; r = -0.51; P less than 0.0001) and QLI (n = 92; r = -0.43; P less than 0.0001) scores. In addition, there was a strong correlation between LASA and QLI scores (r = 0.678; P less than 0.0001). All patients followed up serially until death derived significant palliation of their dysphagia with laser treatment and intubation. Such therapy resulted in a significant initial improvement in QL, with the mean best LASA and QLI scores after treatment being higher than the corresponding mean pretreatment scores (P less than 0.004). However, this improvement proved transient; QL worsened significantly as a patient's general condition deteriorated during the final stages of the illness. The mean last post-treatment LASA and QLI scores in both groups (recorded within 5 weeks of death) were less than the corresponding mean pretreatment scores (P less than 0.004). CONCLUSIONS. Endoscopic palliation of malignant dysphagia results in a significant initial improvement in QL. Subsequently, QL worsens appreciably as a patient's general condition deteriorates during the terminal phase of disease.     

Lay constructions of genetic risk

The paper reports one aspect of research on women (mothers and daughters) in families with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (Duchenne), a genetically transmitted disorder. The data were collected by means of extended unstructured interviews with the women, all of whom had had either a brother or a son who had inherited the disease. All the women have been defined by medical professionals as having a specific ‘risk’ of carrying and transmitting the defective gene. Their lay understanding of carrier risk rates is explored. There are fundamental differences between medical and lay understandings of the statistical issues involved. The discrepancies may have important consequences for the women's reproductive behaviour. The implications of genetic risk for spoiled identity on the part of some women are also described.     

Event-related potentials to Stroop and reverse Stroop stimuli.

In the Stroop task, the latency of response to a colour is either faster or slower in the presence of a congruent or incongruent colour-word (J. Exp. Psychol. 18 (1935) 643). Debate remains as to whether this effect occurs during early stimulus processing or late response competition. The present study examined the task using reaction time (RT) and event-related potentials to determine temporal differences in this processing. The 'reverse Stroop' effect (where colour interferes with processing of a colour-word) which is much less well established, was also examined. Standard Stroop interference was found as well as reverse Stroop interference. A late lateralised negativity at frontal sites was greater for Incongruent trials and also for the word-response (reverse Stroop) task, and was interpreted as semantic selection and word-rechecking effects. Late positive component latency effects generally mirrored the speed of processing of the different conditions found in RT data. Stroop effects were also found in early temporal N100 and parietal P100 components, which differentiated Congruent from Incongruent trials in the reverse Stroop but not the standard Stroop, and were interpreted as early perception of physical mismatch between the colour and word. It was concluded that Stroop stimuli are processed in parallel in a network of brain areas rather than a particular structure and that Stroop interference arises at the output stage.