Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Ophthalmology for April 2012. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Genetic Link Identified for Multiple Forms of Glaucoma
MONDAY, April 30 (HealthDay News) -- Two genomic regions have been identified that are associated with normal-pressure glaucoma (NPG) and optic nerve disease in exfoliation-syndrome glaucoma (ESG), possibly through the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) signaling pathway, according to a study published online April 26 in PLoS Genetics.
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S. Aureus, Enterotoxins ID'd in Atopic Keratoconjunctivitis
MONDAY, April 23 (HealthDay News) -- Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and S. aureus-secreted enterotoxins (SE) are frequently found in patients with atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC), particularly in those with corneal ulceration, according to a study published online April 10 in Allergy.
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Pegaptanib Reduces Foveal Thickness in Macular Edema
FRIDAY, April 13 (HealthDay News) -- Intravitreally administered injections of the selective vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-165 inhibitor pegaptanib significantly reduces foveal thickness and improves visual acuity in patients with diabetes and macular edema, according to a study published online April 5 in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.
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Bevacizumab Offers Lasting Improvement in Macular Edema
THURSDAY, April 12 (HealthDay News) -- At two years of follow-up, diabetes-related clinically significant macular edema (CSME) is more effectively improved by intravitreous bevacizumab than with macular laser therapy (MLT), according to a study published online April 9 in the Archives of Ophthalmology.
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Ocular Tremors Pervasive in Patients With Parkinson's
TUESDAY, April 10 (HealthDay News) -- Ocular tremors, which prevent eye stability while fixating on a target, are pervasive among patients with Parkinson's disease, according to a study published online April 9 in the Archives of Neurology.
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Immunotherapy Tied to Lower Alzheimer's CSF Biomarkers
FRIDAY, April 6 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease, immunotherapy treatment with the anti-β-amyloid (Aβ) monoclonal antibody bapineuzumab results in lower concentrations of two cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers: total (T)-tau and phosphorylated (P)-tau, according to a study published online April 2 in the Archives of Neurology.
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Medical Malpractice Claims Incur Substantial Defense Costs
WEDNESDAY, April 4 (HealthDay News) -- Defense costs for medical malpractice claims vary among specialties and are higher for claims that result in indemnity payments, according to a letter published in the April 5 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Fluoroquinolone Use Linked to Retinal Detachment
TUESDAY, April 3 (HealthDay News) -- The use of the oral fluoroquinolone antibiotics is associated with an increased risk of retinal detachment, although the absolute risk is small, according to a study published in the April 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Serious Eye Disease Linked to Bisphosphonate Use
MONDAY, April 2 (HealthDay News) -- First-time users of oral bisphosphonates have an increased risk of both uveitis and scleritis compared with nonusers, according to a study published online April 2 in CMAJ, the journal of the Canadian Medical Association.
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