Long-term effects of glaucoma therapy with 4% pilocarpine gel on corneal clarity and endothelial cell density

Corneal thickness measurements and endothelial cell counts were carried out in 34 patients undergoing treatment for glaucoma with 4% pilocarpine gel between 18 to 78 months after initiation of therapy. The corneal thickness and endothelial cell population were found to be within normal limits in all cases except two, one patient with increased corneal thickness who had recently undergone cataract and glaucoma filtering surgery and another patient with decreased cell count who had an old endothelial scar sustained prior to pilocarpine gel therapy. There was a very close correlation for both of these parameters noticed in patients treated with pilocarpine gel and in age-matched control group of patients with glaucoma. The present study has shown that there are no adverse corneal effects with pilocarpine gel therapy.     

The value of bacterial culture during clean orthopedic surgery: a prospective study of 1,036 patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether bacterial cultures of the wounds of patients undergoing clean orthopedic surgery would help predict infection. METHODS: During 1 year, 1,256 cultures were performed for 1,102 patients who underwent clean orthopedic surgery. Results were analyzed to evaluate their ability to predict postoperative infection. RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the cultures were 38%, 92%, 7%, and 99%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Cultures performed during clean orthopedic surgery were not useful for predicting postoperative infection.     

Corticomotoneuronal dysfunction in ALS patients with different SOD1 mutations.

OBJECTIVE: To examine corticomotoneuronal function in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients carrying superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) mutations using peristimulus time histograms (PSTH). METHODS: Six I113T, 3 A4V, one G41D and one G114A patient were studied along with 21 healthy control subjects. Analyses included comparison with previously reported data from 8 D90A homozygous and 12 sporadic ALS (SALS) patients examined by the authors using identical methodology. RESULTS: Cortical threshold was significantly reduced in A4V patients (41.3%) compared to I113T (58%), SALS (57%) and D90A (71%) patients, as well as healthy controls (49.7%). Estimated excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) were significantly larger in A4V patients (4.39 mV) compared to healthy controls (2.95 mV), I113T (2.71 mV) and SALS (2.39 mV) patients. Clinical features and PSTH parameters in I113T were similar to SALS, however, PSTH primary peaks (PP) were significantly more dispersed, 9.5 ms compared to 4ms in SALS. PSTHs from single G41D and G114A patients were unremarkable, apart from large EPSP amplitudes in the G114A patient. CONCLUSIONS: ALS patients with A4V and I113T SOD1 mutations have distinctive corticomotoneuronal changes that are different from those in D90A homozygous and SALS patients. SIGNIFICANCE: PSTH studies should be considered for future in vivo studies of SOD1 pathophysiology in ALS.     

A nationwide survey of excessive daytime sleepiness in Parkinson's disease in France

To determine the prevalence of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and that of dozing and sudden onset of sleep episodes (SOS) while driving in ambulatory patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) in France, a national sample of private and public neurologists was asked to recruit the first 10 consecutive nondemented PD patients. Each patient completed a questionnaire including the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and the likelihood of dozing off and experiencing SOS episodes behind the wheel. Clinical and demographic data were collected. One thousand six hundred and twenty‐five patients with PD were included in the survey. Twenty‐nine percent of the patients suffered from EDS (ESS score ≥10) but only 0.8% declared a high chance of dozing while driving and 0.5% reported totally unpredictable SOS episodes while driving. Risk factors for EDS were male gender, reduced activity of daily living, and a high daily levodopa equivalent dosage. Risk factors for SOS episodes while driving were an ESS score ≥10, male gender, and low Hoehn and Yahr staging. EDS is common in ambulatory patients with PD and is a major risk factor for dozing and for SOS episodes behind the wheel in patients who drive. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society     

SUICIDE ATTEMPT DUE TO METOCLOPRAMIDE-INDUCED AKATHISIA

Akathisia as a side-effect of metoclopramide has received increasing attention in consultation-liaison psychiatry in recent years. A case of metoclopramide-induced akathisia resulting in a suicide attempt is reported in order to highlight the suffering of such patients and the factors that lead to misdiagnosis.     

Is the message getting through? Nutritional knowledge of pregnant women in Edinburgh and London

This paper reports the results of a survey in which pregnant women in London and Edinburgh were asked about their knowledge and understanding of the recent recommendations of expert committees (James, 1983; DHSS, 1984). In general, Londoners had a better understanding, although in both regions manual groups were less knowledgeable, with the Edinburgh manual group the least well informed.     

Progression of amiodarone induced cataracts

Amiodarone hydrochloride is a potent antiarrhythmic agent recently approved for use by the Food and Drug Administration. Anterior subcapsular lens opacities were observed in seven of fourteen patients treated with moderate to high doses of amiodarone at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in San Francisco in 1982. The present report summarizes the present status of these same fourteen patients ten years later. Anterior subcapsular lens opacities developed or progressed in all patients continuing treatment with this antiarrhythmic agent during the following ten year interval. Although Snellen visual acuities are not decreased, subtle visual impairment is present as measured by contrast sensitivity measurements with and without glare. This decrease in visual acuity is not a contraindication for therapy with this potentially life saving drug.