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Biomedical subjects

K Boboridis

Publications and source records attributed to K Boboridis.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

Recent developments in the medical treatment of thyroid eye disease.

No real new treatment has been developed in the last decade for thyroid eye disease (TED). Glucocorticoids (GC), orbital radiotherapy (OR) or a combination of both, are most frequently used in the treatment of TED for the iv immunosuppressive effects. However, we now have novel information regarding the when and how corticosteroids should be used. In general, the iv route of GC administration is preferable to the oral use. iv GC should be used at much lower doses than previously (4.5 to 6 g cumulative dose), possibly with a small dose of oral prednisone (or equivalent) in the interpulse period and for a few weeks after completion of iv treatment. Careful assessment of patients before treatment for identification of possible risk factors of liver toxicity is mandatory. Finally, monitoring of patients, particularly for liver function, is warranted during and after treatment. Although OR's effectiveness was disputed by a study few years ago, more recent studies have reconfirmed its beneficial role in TED and shown that it still has a positive role to play in patients with active TED. Finally, although Somatostatin-analogs (SM-as) gave the impression some years ago that might represent an effective weapon for TED management and initial, mostly uncontrolled and non-randomized trials with small number of patients supported this notion, newer randomized, double-blind studies with larger number of patients have not confirmed the first optimistic results. The question after that is if SM-as should be considered as a rubber bullet in the treatment of TED and we have to forget about them. The answer should be "no yet," especially in the light that the role of SM-as may be revitalized by the use of analogs with higher affinity for all somatostatin receptors subtypes. Such analogs are now available and under investigation in different diseases with very promising results.

Glucocorticoids↗

A questionnaire survey on the management of Graves' orbitopathy in Europe.

OBJECTIVE: To determine management patterns among clinicians who treat patients with Graves' orbitopathy (GO) in Europe. DESIGN AND METHODS: Questionnaire survey including a case scenario of members of professional organisations representing endocrinologists, ophthalmologists and nuclear medicine physicians. RESULTS: A multidisciplinary approach to manage GO was valued by 96.3% of responders, although 31.5% did not participate or refer to a multidisciplinary team and 21.5% of patients with GO treated by responders were not managed in a multidisciplinary setting. Access to surgery for sight-threatening GO was available only within weeks or months according to 59.5% of responders. Reluctance to refer urgently to an ophthalmologist was noted by 32.7% of responders despite the presence of suspected optic neuropathy. The use of steroids was not influenced by the age of the patient, but fewer responders chose to use steroids in a diabetic patient (72.1 vs 90.5%, P<0.001). Development of cushingoid features resulted in a reduction in steroid use (90.5 vs 36.5%, P<0.001) and increase in the use of orbital irradiation (from 23.8% to 40.4%, P<0.05) and surgical decompression (from 20.9 to 52.9%, P<0.001). More ophthalmologists chose surgical decompression for patients with threatened vision due to optic neuropathy, who were intolerant to steroids than other specialists (70.3 vs 41.8%, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Deficiencies in the management of patients with GO in Europe were identified by this survey. Further training of clinicians, easier access of patients to specialist multidisciplinary centres and the publication of practice guidelines may help improve the management of this condition in Europe.

Decompression, Surgical↗

Interventions for involutional lower lid entropion.

BACKGROUND: Entropion is a condition in which the eyelid margin turns in against the eyeball. The involutional or senile type of entropion is one of the most common lower lid malpositions in the elderly. The interventions described and currently used for the treatment of this condition are surgical in nature, although non-surgical temporary medical treatment for the early stages of entropion has also been reported. The relative effectiveness of these interventions has not yet been resolved. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this review is to examine the effect of interventions for involutional entropion and to assess whether any method is superior to the others. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register - CENTRAL/CCTR, which contains the Cochrane Eyes and Vision Group specialised register (Cochrane Library Issue 3, 2000), MEDLINE (1966 to October 2000), EMBASE (1980 to September 2000), the metaRegister of Controlled Trials (mRCT), oculoplastic textbooks, conference proceedings and bibliographies of relevant reports. We contacted investigators and experts in the field for details of other published and unpublished studies. SELECTION CRITERIA: The criteria for including studies in this review were randomised controlled trials where one intervention for involutional lower lid entropion has been compared to another method of treatment in people older than 60 years of age with involutional lower lid entropion. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Both reviewers assessed the search results according to the criteria for including studies in the review. No studies were found that met these criteria, and therefore no data were collected and no meta-analysis was performed. MAIN RESULTS: Since no studies met our selection criteria no results were produced. REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS: No conclusions could be reached about the effectiveness of interventions for involutional lower lid entropion, although retrospective case series studies suggest that some forms of treatment may be associated with higher recurrence rates than others. Lack of suitable data highlights the need for randomised controlled trials in the fields of entropion management.

Aged↗

Intraobserver and interobserver reliability of the R/D score for evaluation of iris configuration by ultrasound biomicroscopy, in patients with pigment dispersion syndrome.

UNLABELLED: The work has been presented at The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) Annual Meeting, Fort Lauterdale, Florida, May 1999. PURPOSE: To evaluate inter- and intraobserver variability of the R/D score in assessing the iris configuration in Pigment Dispersion Syndrome patients. METHODS: Fifty-seven high-resolution ultrasound biomicroscopy images were obtained by a single ophthalmologist. All images were examined twice by each of three ophthalmologists, the second assessment being at least 2 weeks after the first. Each observer was masked to their colleagues' and their previous measurements. R/D scores were calculated at each examination. Agreement between and amongst observers was assessed using Bland-Altman plots. In addition, the R/D scores were categorised and reassessed using the Kappa statistic. RESULTS: Intraobserver variability was small, the average differences between first and second scores of each observer being less than 0.01 units. Agreement within observers was 89% or higher, with Kappa values of 0.8 or higher, indicating almost perfect agreement. Interobserver variability was, however, greater. Although there was substantial agreement between two of the observers (87% agreement, first assessment; 80%, second assessment with respective kappa statistics of 0.78 and 0.66), they only moderately agreed with the other observer (kappa statistics between 0.55 and 0.68). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that when using R/D scores to demonstrate changes in iris configuration, assessments should preferably be made by the same observer.

Exfoliation Syndrome↗

Repeatability and reproducibility of upper eyelid measurements.

AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the repeatability and reproducibility by physicians of upper lid measurements and to investigate the influence of clinical experience on the learning curve effect. METHODS: Both eyes of 22 outpatients were assessed for three basic measures of ptosis: marginal reflex distance (MRD) for upper and lower lids, upper lid skin crease (SC), and levator function (LF). Patients with variable eyelid positions were excluded. The patients were measured twice by a consultant and once by each of a clinical fellow, a specialist registrar, and a senior house officer in random order. Each observer was masked to their colleagues' results and followed a standard measurement protocol. Data were analysed using Bland-Altman plots. RESULTS: Consultant repeatability was high and consistent, the median difference between measures being 0 for each of the four parameters. Clinically acceptable reproducibility was shown in all measurements for even the least experienced physician and was particularly consistent for extreme observations. There was evidence of a learning curve effect. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that interobserver and intraobserver variability in assessment of upper lid ptosis using a standard measurement protocol is low and clinically acceptable when the technique of assessment is standardised.

Blepharoptosis↗

A comparative study of two procedures for repair of involutional lower lid entropion.

OBJECTIVE: The study compares the use of Jones' retractor plication and the Wies procedure as a primary procedure for the repair of involutional lower lid entropion in the absence of horizontal lid shortening. DESIGN: Retrospective case series comparison. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred two cases with at least 6 months follow-up after primary surgery for involutional lower lid entropion performed between 1993 and 1996. INTERVENTIONS: Two groups were compared: Jones' retractor plication was performed in one group and the Wies procedure in the other; neither group had horizontal shortening of the lower eyelid. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The rates of cure, recurrence, and overcorrection of the lower lid entropion. RESULTS: Jones' retractor plication was performed in 37 (36%) patients and the Wies procedure in 65 (64%). Two of the 37 (5%) Jones cases had recurrent entropion develop, both at 31 months after surgery, compared with 1 1 of 65 (17%) recurrences after the Wies procedure (P = 0.81); recurrence after Wies procedure was earlier, at a median of 6 months after surgery. There were 20 of 65 (31 %) overcorrections after the Wies procedure and 4 of 37 (11 %) after the Jones procedure (P < 0.02); one quarter of each group required secondary repair of the overcorrection (5 of 20 after failed Wies procedure; 25% after failed Jones procedure). Overall, there were 6 of 37 (16%) unsatisfactory results after the Jones procedure in contrast to 31 of 65 (48%) after the Wies procedure (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These data provide strong evidence (P < 0.001) that, in the absence of horizontal shortening of the lower eyelid, a successful outcome is more likely after Jones retractor plication than after the Wies procedure.

Aged↗

Endogenous group G Streptococcus endophthalmitis following a dental procedure.

PURPOSE: To report a case of bilateral endogenous endophthalmitis due to group G Streptococcus after a dental procedure. METHODS: Case report of a 69-year-old woman who presented with pain, decreased vision, bilateral uveitis, and a unilateral hypopyon 1 week after treatment for an abscessed tooth. RESULTS: Bilateral endophthalmitis was diagnosed, and group G Streptococcus was cultured from the vitreous samples. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the second reported case of endogenous endophthalmitis following a dental procedure. Furthermore, it was due to group G Streptococcus, which is a rare cause of this condition.

Aged↗

Endoscopic endonasal assistance with Jones lacrimal bypass tubes.

Rigid nasal endoscopy is a reliable technique that can be used to assist in the preoperative nasal evaluation, operative tube positioning, and management after surgery. Postoperative function can be evaluated by using a passive dye test (FEDT) viewed directly, and minor interventions carried out without the need to remove the tube or do excessive probing. Endonasal endoscopy facilitates the maintenance of tube function with minimal manipulation and patient discomfort, and is fast and efficient. Its use should help improve tube retention and function. A detailed study over a number of years is necessary to provide convincing evidence for improving clinical standards. Lester T Jones wrote: The postoperative care of such a patient (having a glass bypass tube) should be in the hands of a physician who is willing to look into the nose, as inspection of the length and position of glass tube is most important. Endoscopic endonasal assistance helps the ophthalmologist to fulfill his criteria.

Endoscopy↗