Corneal Inflammation Inhibited By Case Western Reserve And Penn State Investigators
Researchers from the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and Penn State Hershey College of Medicine identified a novel therapeutic that reduces sterile inflammation within the cornea. Published in the June issue of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology, Dr. Eric Pearlman and Dr. Mark Kester identified a novel ceramide, a natural compound that when delivered in nano-sized packages reduces corneal haze, corneal thickening and inflammation.
New research projects commissioned by the National Institute for Health Research's Health Technology Assessment (NIHR HTA) programme will evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of different screening tests used in diabetic eye care. In the first project, researchers from the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination at the University of York are set to investigate colour vision testing, which can be used to help identify patients at risk of diabetic retinopathy.
Bepreve (bepostatine) demonstrated “highly statistically significant reductions” in ocular itching in its second Phase III clinical study, developer ISTA Pharmaceuticals (Irvine, Calif.) said in a press release. The multicenter Conjunctival Allergen Challenge (CAC) study assessed the onset and duration of effect of two concentrations in 130 patients with a history of ocular allergies. Both concentrations demonstrated statistically significant effects in the primary study endpoint of ocular itching. Both concentrations also showed statistically significant effects in terms of the speed of response, as well as in the secondary endpoints measuring additional allergy symptoms and nasal symptoms. There were no serious ocular side effects. ISTA plans to file a New Drug Application for Bepreve in the second half of 2008.
For twelve years, experts from different disciplines in the fields of microelectronics, neurophysics, information engineering, computer science, materials science and medicine have been working to develop a visual prosthetic device for patients who have lost their sight through diseases of the retina. In September 2007, their effort was rewarded.
Adverse Events In Hospitals Occur 3 Times More Among Patients With Communications Problems
Preventable adverse events in hospitals occur 3 times more often among patients with communication problems, such as deafness, blindness, psychiatric disorders and multiple health issues or comorbidities, found researchers in this study of nearly 2400 patient records from 20 hospitals in Quebec.An adverse event is "an unintended injury or complication caused by the delivery of clinical care rather than by the patient's underlying condition.
Disagreement in contour placement can produce inconsistent tomograph parameters
When contouring optic disc images, disagreement in contour placement between independent observers can result in disproportionate effects on some calculated Heidelberg Retina Tomograph parameters, independent of image quality and lens opacity, according
to a new analysis of data from the Bridlington Eye Assessment Project.
Links to drug information on the AbstractPlus display to MedMaster Patient Drug Information, a new book available on the Bookshelf, are now available for all PubMed users.
A Genetic Marker For Nearsightedness? Update On Vitamins And AMD, And Recovery From Optic Neuritis
The June 2008 issue of Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, includes a groundbreaking study on genetic factors and nearsightedness, a cautionary tale on age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients' vitamin use, and good news for people who have had an acute attack of optic neuritis. Strong Evidence for a Genetic Marker for Nearsightedness Research by Gu Zhu, M.D.
