Analysis of significant factors influencing visual acuity in ocular syphilis.

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_4B9D1FB810CE
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Analysis of significant factors influencing visual acuity in ocular syphilis.
Journal
British Journal of Ophthalmology
Author(s)
Balaskas K., Sergentanis T.N., Giulieri S., Guex-Crosier Y.
ISSN
1468-2079 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
0007-1161
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2011
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
95
Number
11
Pages
1568-1572
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article
Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to determine whether statistical associations can be demonstrated in ocular syphilis between baseline clinical and laboratory parameters with visual acuity at presentation and with any change in visual acuity after treatment.
METHODS: Charts of 26 patients (42 eyes) with ocular syphilis presenting to the Uveitis clinic of the Jules-Gonin Eye Hospital were reviewed. A baseline cross-sectional analysis was performed in order to identify any association between visual acuity at presentation and demographic, clinical or laboratory parameters. After treatment, any analogy between these parameters and a change in visual acuity was subsequently assessed in a series of univariate comparisons.
RESULTS: The following factors were associated with worse initial visual acuity: severity of visual field impairment at presentation (p=0.012), macular oedema (p=0.004) and optic neuropathy (p=0.031). There was a borderline association with the presence of vasculitis on fluroangiography (p=0.072). Improvement in best corrected visual acuity after treatment was significantly associated with the presence of vasculitis on fluroangiography (p=0.005), neurosyphilis, according to lumbar puncture findings (p=0.037) and marginally with anterior uveitis (p=0.070). Inflammation relapse was associated with the coexistence of pain as presenting sign (p<0.001) and with a longer duration of symptoms prior to the initial visit (p=0.023).
CONCLUSIONS: Severe ocular inflammation associated with vasculitis, vitritis or anterior uveitis in ocular syphilis would appear to be a reversible phenomenon that responds well to appropriate antibiotic treatment, resulting in improvement in visual acuity. Prompt treatment enables a good visual prognosis, while any delay in therapy increases the risk of subsequent relapse.
Keywords
Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use, Eye Infections, Bacterial/complications, Eye Infections, Bacterial/drug therapy, Female, Humans, Macular Edema/complications, Male, Middle Aged, Neurosyphilis/complications, Optic Nerve Diseases/complications, Prognosis, Retinal Vasculitis/complications, Retrospective Studies, Syphilis/complications, Syphilis/drug therapy, Treatment Outcome, Uveitis, Anterior/complications, Vision Disorders/microbiology, Vision Disorders/physiopathology, Visual Acuity/physiology, Visual Fields
Pubmed
Web of science
Create date
18/04/2011 19:21
Last modification date
20/08/2019 13:59
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