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Biomedical subjects

M Hogeweg

Publications and source records attributed to M Hogeweg.

31 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Treatment of recent facial nerve damage with lagophthalmos, using a semistandardized steroid regimen.

Twenty-seven patients with borderline leprosy and facial nerve damage of less than or equal to 6 months duration (36 eyes) were treated with a semistandardized regimen of steroids (the average starting dose was 25-30 mg, duration 5-6 months) on an outpatient basis. Red and raised reactive patches were usually present in the upper malar area or around the eye(s) in patients with recent lagophthalmos. The lid gap was measured in millimetres during gentle and strong closure. After completion of the steroid course 75% of the eyes had complete closure or only a slight gap of less than or equal to 2 mm on gentle closure. Steroids were found to be beneficial and safe, in the dosage that we prescribed.

Eyelid Diseases↗

Progression of eye lesions in leprosy: ten-year follow-up study in The Netherlands.

Forty-eight leprosy patients in The Netherlands were re-examined 10 years after initial examination. Forty-six of these patients had received a course of multidrug therapy (MDT), according to the World Health Organization recommendation, at the time of their initial examination. Two patients had burned-out disease and had been merely under observation. Out of 40 patients, who initially did not show eye complications due to leprosy, 37 patients were essentially the same 10 years later. The eyes had changed in 3 multibacillary patients: 1 patient had developed a late type 1 reaction with facial nerve involvement and lagophthalmos; 2 patients had undergone intra-ocular surgery for cataract and acute glaucoma, respectively. Out of 8 patients with pre-existing eye involvement, 1 patient recovered and the lesions in 2 patients remained unaltered. One patient showed progression of pre-existing exposure keratitis. Four patients had undergone cataract extractions; all four patients were lepromatous, with a long history of disease and signs of iris involvement at the first examination. The main progressive lesions were cataracts in lepromatous patients.

Adult↗

A survey on eye involvement among leprosy patients in The Netherlands.

A survey of 121 leprosy patients in the Netherlands showed eye involvement in 20% of the patients, rising to 27% if madarosis and the adnexae are included. Iris atrophy was the main lesion encountered in BL and LL patients. One typical lepromatous fundus lesion was seen. No bilateral blindness occurred. Two eyes had a visual acuity of 3/60 due to intractable scleritis and acute iritis in LL with ENL. Seven eyes of 5 patients had a visual acuity of 0.2 to 3/60, mainly due to iris atrophy in lepromatous leprosy. Prevalence of blindness in our series was low as compared with the literature.

Adolescent↗

Candida endophthalmitis in heroin addicts.

The clinical course of endophthalmitis, presumably due to Candida albicans, in nine eyes of heroin addicts is described. In six of the seven eyes in which pars plana vitrectomy was performed the diagnosis was confirmed by the cultivation of Candida albicans from the rinsing fluid. Both purely intraocular treatment and a combination of local and systemic antimycotic therapy caused the intraocular infection to disappear. In this small group of patients the results were most favourable when treatment was started early.

Adult↗

The lipoprotein profile and phospholipase activity of subretinal fluid.

We have studied the lipoprotein profile of subretinal fluid by crossed immunoelectrophoresis using an antiserum against apolipoprotein A-I. If the detachment had occurred recently, we found that the subretinal fluid contained only the alpha 1-lipoprotein of serum. However, if the detachment was of longer duration an increasing amount of an electrophoretically slower-moving lipoprotein was also present in the subretinal fluid. We present evidence that subretinal fluid contains an enzyme, phospholipase A, which can form the slower-moving component from alpha 1-lipoprotein. Since the retina has a high phospholipid content, permanent damage may be caused to its structure by the action of this hydrolysing enzyme.

Apolipoprotein A-I↗

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE). A case report.

A report is given of the fundus changes in a 17-year-old boy suffering from SSPE, which clinically first manifested itself by visual disturbances. At first the right eye showed extensive yellowish-white oedema at the posterior pole, surrounded by smaller round, yellow, partly confluent lesions, passing into a scarring stage in about ten days. Fluorescein angiography of the right eye was performed, both in the acute stage, which suggested a Harada syndrome, and in the scarring stage, which resembled a disseminated chorioretinitis. Three weeks later, during the development of the general neurological symptoms, the left eye developed the same fundus picture and course as the right eye. The condition of the patient rapidly deteriorated, leading to death five weeks after the onset of his visual complaints.

Adolescent↗

Tear fluid analysis in primary Sjögren's syndrome.

Tear fluid analysis was performed in 44 patients with primary SS, 21 patients suspected of having primary SS in whom the syndrome had been excluded, and 24 control subjects. In the primary SS patients the tear fluid levels of lactoferrin and a1-antitrypsin were increased and the tear fluid levels peroxidase, lysozyme and amylase were decreased. However, a considerable overlap in the concentrations of all of the tested substances in the different groups was found and the measurement of these substances cannot be advocated for diagnostic use.

Adult↗

Strategies for improvement of management of ocular complications in leprosy.

Responsibility for eye care of leprosy-affected persons should be shared between leprosy and eye care staff. Leprosy and PHC staff should be responsible for: treatment of reversal reactions in the face, and of recent lagophthalmos, with prednisolone, conservative treatment of mild lagophthalmos, referral of patients with severe lagophthalmos and/or exposure keratitis, unless there is sufficient expertise within the programme, recognition of the acute red eye and treatment of acute conjunctivitis, referral of all other conditions of acute red eye, unless there is sufficient expertise within the programme, recognition of severe visual impairment and referral as needed, recognition of the need for reading glasses in patients aged over 40 years, in rehabilitation services, encouraging medical colleges, Control of Blindness Societies, and staff of general eye care facilities, to actively take part in the treatment of eye complications in patients affected by leprosy, and encouraging charitable organizations to provide special eye care programmes for patients affected by leprosy, in particular for those who are disabled and are living in leprosy settlements. Eye care services (a visiting ophthalmologist or paramedical ophthalmic assistant to the specialized leprosy centres for consultation is an appropriate alternative and may sometimes be even more feasible) should take the responsibility for: eyelid surgery in patients with large lid gaps (> 6 mm), or, signs of exposure keratitis, and treatment and follow-up of acute iritis, corneal ulcers, foreign bodies, and other causes of 'the acute red eye', in cooperation with the leprosy service or PHC staff. The eye care services should offer 'positive discrimination' in the treatment of cataract-blind leprosy patients, realizing the great difficulties that these patients have in avoiding injuries or taking care of injuries once they have occurred, especially in the case of limbs that have lost protective sensation.

Blindness↗