Ischemic scalp necrosis preceding loss of visual acuity in giant cell arteritis.
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Aged↗
Biomedical subjects
R C Sergott
Publications and source records attributed to R C Sergott.
A color Doppler analysis of nifedipine-induced posterior ocular blood flow changes in open-angle glaucoma.
PURPOSE: This pilot study used color Doppler imaging to investigate the effects of nifedipine on the posterior ocular blood flow of patients with glaucoma progression at normal intraocular pressures. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighteen patients, 11 men and seven women with a median age of 61.7 years, were imaged before and 6 weeks after the initiation of 30 mg of sustained-release nifedipine (Procardia XL; produced by either Pfizer or Pratt) daily. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant change in the blood velocity of the ophthalmic artery, central retinal artery, and main nasal and temporal short posterior ciliary arteries after treatment with nifedipine. CONCLUSION: The routine use of nifedipine in patients with normal tension glaucoma progression is not supported by this study.
Adult↗
Diabetic papillopathy. Patient characteristics and fundus findings.
OBJECTIVE: To better define the spectrum of patient characteristics and fundus findings in patients with a presumably unique clinical entity referred to as diabetic papillopathy. DESIGN: Retrospective series. SETTING: A university-based referral practice. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all diabetic patients with benign, transient disc swelling who were evaluated at our institution from 1986 to 1992. Data pertaining to patient demographics, visual acuity and symptoms, disc and retinal findings, ancillary test results, and clinical course were collected. RESULTS: Twenty-seven eyes of 19 patients met the study definition of diabetic papillopathy. Patients were generally older (mean age, 50 years) and of a broader age range (19 to 79 years) compared with those in prior reports. Two thirds of patients had type II diabetes. Disc swelling was consistently hyperemic and, on average, resolved within 3.7 months. Macular edema was a frequent associated finding (70% of eyes) as was significant capillary nonperfusion (52% of tested eyes). Only four eyes (15%) had final visual acuities of less than 20/50 and each had prominent macular edema. Cup-disc ratio analysis of uninvolved eyes revealed a significantly small physiologic cup. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical profile of diabetic papillopathy can be expanded to include people who are older or have type II diabetes and that affected eyes commonly have macular edema or retinal vascular changes that can adversely affect the visual outcome. Last, a small physiologic cup may represent an anatomic predisposition to the condition.
Adult↗
Hemifacial spasm and osteitis deformans.
PURPOSE/METHODS: A patient with osteitis deformans (Paget's disease) and hemifacial spasm underwent magnetic resonance tomographic angiography. Bone-modulating bisphosphonates and botulinum injection were administered to treat the hemifacial spasm. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: Computed tomography showed marked temporal bone overgrowth. Magnetic resonance tomographic angiography showed no vascular compression of the facial nerve root. The hemifacial spasm failed to resolve with intravenous pamidronate. Subsequent botulinum injection rendered the patient spasm free for 22 weeks. Further research on the use of bisphosphonates in the treatment of pagetoid hemifacial spasm is required.
Aged↗
Rapidly progressive optic disk neovascularization after diabetic papillopathy.
PURPOSE: To determine if diabetic papillopathy may be associated with optic disk neovascularization and visual loss. METHODS: We examined two young adults with bilateral diabetic papillopathy who had permanent loss of vision associated with rapidly progressive posterior segment neovascularization. RESULTS: Within three months both patients developed florid optic disk neovascularization. This neovascularization was slow to regress despite full panretinal photocoagulation. One patient developed a macular tractional retinal detachment. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetic papillopathy may be associated with rapid progression of diabetic retinopathy and, in particular, optic disk neovascularization. Patients should be monitored for this possibility.
Adolescent↗
Retrobulbar arterial hemodynamic effects of betaxolol and timolol in normal-tension glaucoma.
PURPOSE: beta-Adrenergic blocking drugs lower intraocular pressure. The question of whether these drugs also alter, either directly or indirectly, orbital hemodynamics is potentially of great importance for patients with normal-tension glaucoma who may have some degree of reversible vasospasm. METHODS: We compared the effect of selective (betaxolol) and nonselective (timolol) beta-adrenergic blocking drugs on flow velocities (as determined by color Doppler imaging) in orbital vessels in 13 patients with normal-tension glaucoma (mean age, 62 +/- 3 years; mean intraocular pressure, 15 +/- 2 mm Hg). A one-month drug treatment double-masked crossover design, with a three-week washout before each drug, was used. RESULTS: Neither drug changed peak systolic velocity in any of the four vessels studied (ophthalmic, nasal and temporal posterior ciliary, and central retinal arteries). Additionally, timolol did not alter end-diastolic velocity or resistance index (defined as [peak systolic velocity minus end-diastolic velocity] divided by peak systolic velocity) in any of the vessels measured. In contrast, betaxolol tended to increase end-diastolic velocity and to decrease resistance index: the four-vessel average end-diastolic velocity increased 30% (P = .08), and the four-vessel average resistance index decreased significantly (P = .04). These reductions in resistance index occurred despite that betaxolol, in contrast to timolol, did not significantly decrease intraocular pressure. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that, in patients with normal-tension glaucoma, selective beta-adrenergic blockade (betaxolol) may have ocular vasorelaxant effects independent of any influence on intraocular pressure, whereas nonselective blockade (timolol) lowers intraocular pressure without apparently altering orbital hemodynamics.
Arteries↗
Relative pupillary sparing third nerve palsies. To arteriogram or not?
Ten consecutive patients with acute relative pupillary sparing third nerve palsies were enrolled in a prospective study to determine the prevalence of intracranial aneurysm. All patients were imaged with either cerebral angiography or magnetic resonance angiography. None of the patients demonstrated an intracranial aneurysm. The prevalence of aneurysm in patients with relative pupillary sparing third nerve palsies may be low enough to preclude the use of routine angiography in this condition.
Acute Disease↗
Pain in anterior ischemic optic neuropathy.
PURPOSE: The diagnoses of both anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AION) and optic neuritis are clinical ones with significant overlap of symptoms and signs. This study investigates the presence and character of pain at the onset of AION, in order to evaluate this symptom as a differentiating diagnostic feature between optic neuritis and AION. METHODS: Forty-one consecutive patients over 45 years of age with a clinical syndrome consistent with AION were questioned about the presence and character of associated pain. RESULTS: Pain was reported by 12% (5 of 41) of the patients with AION. This is contrasted with data compiled on 448 patients in the optic neuritis treatment trial, of whom 92.2% complained of pain. CONCLUSION: While there is overlap in the incidence and character of pain in AION and optic neuritis, its presence/absence remains a useful differentiating feature.
Aged↗
MR of malignant optic glioma of adulthood.
A case of malignant optic glioma of adulthood is imaged in its early and late stages with high-resolution MR. The images show the mass to arise from the right optic nerve before invasion of the optic chiasm.
Astrocytoma↗
Color Doppler imaging: a new technique to assess orbital blood flow in patients with diabetic retinopathy.
PURPOSE: Color Doppler imaging is a new noninvasive technique that enables measuring blood flow velocity in small orbital vessels, arteries as well as veins. Because hemodynamic changes are seen in patients with diabetic retinopathy by other techniques, the authors compared 61 eyes with proliferative, 59 eyes with nonproliferative, and 26 eyes with preproliferative diabetic fundus changes with a matched control group of 70 patients without diabetes (128 eyes). METHODS: The central retinal artery (CRA), short posterior ciliary artery (PCA), and ophthalmic artery (OA) of all patients were examined, and the systolic, diastolic, and mean velocities were measured for each vessel. RESULTS: Differences between the groups were most prominent in the CRA. The perfusion velocity was significantly lower (P < 0.001) in proliferative eyes (Vsystolic 5.7 +/- 1.8 cm/sec) than in the control group (Vsystolic 9.4 +/- 1.2 cm/sec) or in nonproliferative eyes (Vsystolic 8.4 +/- 1.8 cm/sec). In the preproliferative group, there was greater variability in velocity distribution. Consequently, no statistically significant difference could be deduced, either in the group with background retinopathy or in the group with proliferative diabetes. In the OA and PCA, neither group showed significant differences from normal. CONCLUSIONS: Measurements indicate a correlation between severity of diabetic retinopathy and decreased flow velocity in the CRA.
Adult↗
Medial rectus muscle weakness imitating a slipped muscle following medial optic nerve sheath decompression.
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Adult↗
Color Doppler analysis of ocular vessel blood velocity in normal-tension glaucoma.
The pathogenesis of normal-tension glaucoma remains unknown. Because ocular vasospasm has been proposed as a possible mechanism, we investigated ocular vessel flow velocity in normal-tension glaucoma patients at rest and under treatment with a cerebral vasodilator. Ten normal-tension glaucoma patients and nine age- and gender-matched controls had flow velocity measured in three vessels (ophthalmic artery, central retinal artery, and temporal short posterior ciliary artery) by using color Doppler imaging, under baseline conditions and during carbon dioxide supplementation sufficient to increase end-tidal PCO2 by 15%. Peak systolic and end-diastolic velocities were measured, and the resistance index (peak systolic velocity minus end-diastolic velocity, divided by peak systolic velocity) was calculated. Compared with controls, these normal-tension glaucoma patients had significantly lower end-diastolic velocities (P = .002) and higher resistance indices (P = .007) in the ophthalmic artery at baseline. When PCO2 was increased, control subjects remained unchanged, whereas it increased end-diastolic velocity in patients (P = .003) and abolished the difference in resistance index between the two groups. Patients and control subjects differed little in their baseline or carbon dioxide response velocities or in resistance in the other two vessels. These results indicate that at baseline these normal-tension glaucoma patients may have increased vascular resistance distal to the ophthalmic artery, although this increased resistance cannot be specifically ascribed to the central retinal arterial or to temporal short posterior ciliary arterial vascular beds. The responsiveness of these patients to a cerebral vasodilator (increased PCO2) indicates further that the increased resistance distal to the ophthalmic artery may be the reversible result of vasospasm.
Adult↗
Combined central retinal vein occlusion and cilioretinal artery occlusion associated with prolonged retinal arterial filling.
We examined four healthy men who developed cilioretinal artery occlusion associated with central retinal vein occlusion. Unlike previously reported patients with this clinical entity, there appeared to be abnormal central retinal artery inflow, as evidenced by prolonged, irregular filling of the branch retinal arteries with intravenous fluorescein angiography. The patients were treated with systemic corticosteroids. All of the patients had initial improvement in vision. However, three of the four patients had recurrent episodes of visual loss. The final visual acuity was 20/40 or better in three of the four patients.
Adult↗
Giant cell arteritis. Corticosteroids, temporal artery biopsy, and blindness.
OBJECTIVE: To describe three patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) who suffered profound, irreversible visual loss due to delayed initiation or discontinuation of corticosteroid therapy pending results of histopathologic examination of temporal artery biopsy specimens and to review the appropriate management of GCA once the clinical diagnosis is made. STUDY DESIGN: Case series. SETTING: University-affiliated eye hospital. PATIENTS: Three women with biopsy-proven GCA and bilateral visual loss due to delayed institution or discontinuation of corticosteroid therapy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Visual acuity and onset, and time course of corticosteroid therapy. RESULTS: Permanent visual loss resulted from delayed initiation of corticosteroid therapy in two patients and discontinuation of therapy in one patient with clinically suspected diagnosis of GCA. In two of these patients, visual loss was preceded by amaurosis fugax and other visual disturbances, although one patient did not volunteer this information to her physician. CONCLUSIONS: Giant cell arteritis may cause rapid and profound loss of vision bilaterally, often without warning. It is essential that systemic corticosteroid therapy be initiated as soon as the diagnosis of GCA is made clinically. Corticosteroid therapy should not be delayed until results of examination of the temporal artery biopsy specimen are obtained. Biopsy specimen interpretation will not be affected if the biopsy is performed within 7 to 10 days of starting therapy.
Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
Color Doppler hemodynamics of giant cell arteritis.
OBJECTIVES: To determine quantitative and qualitative hemodynamic alterations within the ophthalmic, central retinal, and short posterior ciliary arteries in patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) proved by biopsy specimen. DESIGN, PATIENTS, AND SETTING: A consecutive case series of patients with GCA referred to an urban eye hospital who were evaluated with color Doppler imaging that was used to analyze orbital blood flow velocities and vascular resistance in 22 consecutive patients with GCA compared with age and sex-matched controls. RESULTS: Patients with GCA all demonstrated significantly reduced central retinal and short posterior ciliary arterial mean flow velocities as well as significantly increased vascular resistance compared with matched controls. Ophthalmic artery mean flow velocity demonstrated marked variation depending on the anatomic location studied. Other color Doppler imaging characteristics of GCA included the following: ophthalmic artery aliasing (high velocity and turbulent flow at presumed focal vasculitic stenoses), reversal of flow within the ophthalmic artery, reduced and truncated time-velocity waveforms of the central retinal and short posterior ciliary arteries, and absolute deficits of flow within the central retinal and short posterior ciliary arteries. Aliasing of flow velocity within the ophthalmic artery (two patients) was associated with clinical progression of GCA. CONCLUSIONS: These data support the concept that quantitative and qualitative alterations in blood flow or pathophysiologic mechanisms of visual loss in GCA. This technique may be useful in the diagnosis and management of GCA since some of the color Doppler waveforms observed in GCA have not been seen in non-arteritic optic neuropathy. Treatment with corticosteroids often appears to stop the progression of these hemodynamic abnormalities but generally does not improve preexisting vascular abnormalities.
Aged↗
Color Doppler imaging: methodology and preliminary results in glaucoma.
Color Doppler imaging (CDI) has recently been applied to investigation of the normal vascular anatomy of the eye and orbit as well as a variety of conditions in which vascular abnormalities are important. Combining B-scan ultrasonography and Doppler waveform analysis, CDI enables noninvasive serial examination of blood velocity and vascular resistance from the ophthalmic, short posterior, ciliary and central retinal arteries. This technology is being used to study the ophthalmic circulation of patients with primary open-angle or normotension glaucoma.
Blood Flow Velocity↗
Trabeculectomy is associated with retrobulbar hemodynamic changes. A color Doppler analysis.
PURPOSE: To determine whether color Doppler hemodynamic changes occur in the retrobulbar circulation after trabeculectomy. METHODS: The authors prospectively enrolled 20 patients undergoing trabeculectomy and performed color Doppler imaging of both eyes before surgery and then at approximately 2-, 5-, and 14-week intervals after surgery. The systolic maximum velocity, mean velocity, end-diastolic velocity, and vascular resistance (resistance index) of the central retinal artery, nasal and temporal short posterior ciliary arteries, and ophthalmic arteries were determined. Statistical comparison of the preoperative and postoperative measures were performed on both the operative and nonoperative eye using the paired Student's t test. RESULTS: A statistically significant increase was observed in the mean and end-diastolic velocity and a significant decrease in the vascular resistance of the central retinal artery and both short posterior ciliary arteries at nearly all postoperative intervals (25 of 27 preoperative and postoperative comparisons; P < 0.05) The ophthalmic artery, while showing an increased velocity at all intervals, only attained a statistically significant increase in one of three postoperative intervals for mean velocity and two of three intervals for end-diastolic velocity (P < 0.05). There were no notable changes in resistance. The nonoperative eye did not show a statistically significant change in velocity or in resistance in the central retinal artery or either nasal or temporal short posterior ciliary artery at any interval (0 of 27 preoperative and postoperative comparisons for mean velocity, end-diastolic velocity, and resistance index.) CONCLUSION: Sustained increases in mean velocity and end-diastolic velocity and decreases in resistance index were observed in the central retinal artery and the short posterior arteries with clinically attainable reductions in intraocular pressure after trabeculectomy in patients with chronic glaucoma. These findings are consistent with, but not diagnostic of, increased blood flow through these vessels.
Adult↗
Diagnostic management by gatekeepers is not cost effective for neuro-ophthalmology.
PURPOSE: To determine whether the "gatekeeper physician system" for evaluating neuro-ophthalmologic problems is cost effective. METHODS: The authors retrospectively reviewed the records of 588 patients referred for neuro-ophthalmologic evaluation between July and December 1989 to determine the frequency and cost of unnecessary diagnostic testing ordered by "gatekeeper physicians." Pre-referral diagnostic testing costs were compared with the cost of neurophthalmologic consultation for four common problems: (1) optic neuropathy; (2) diplopia; (3) ptosis; and (4) proptosis. RESULTS: Between 16% and 26% of patients in the first three diagnostic categories were subjected to overtesting, resulting in $57,900 of excessive costs, a 724% overcharge. Although the evaluation of proptosis was performed correctly, the quality of 10 of the 18 neuro-imaging procedures was substandard. CONCLUSIONS: The gatekeeper system managed by primary care physicians for these four neuro-ophthalmologic problems not only did not conserve healthcare dollars but also had a negative impact on cost control. For neuro-ophthalmologic disorders, prompt subspecialty evaluation and examination appear to be a cost-effective strategy.
Blepharoptosis↗