Secondary pseudomyopia induced by amisulpride.

PURPOSE: To report a case of pseudomyopia induced by antipsychotic drug administration. METHODS: A 30-year-old woman was referred to our ophthalmology department complaining of blurred vision, especially at distance, in both eyes. The patient had been prescribed antipsychotic drugs (haloperidol and biperiden) as treatment for her schizophrenic symptoms and had recently undergone a change of treatment to amisulpride. She had a manifest refraction of -4.00/-1.00 × 180 in the OD and -3.75/-1.25 × 175 in the OS whereas her cycloplegic refraction was -1.75/-1.00 × 180 in the OD and -1.00/-1.25 × 175 in the OS, respectively. RESULTS: A diagnosis of likely drug-induced pseudomyopia was made. Therefore, the patient was advised to visit her psychiatrist, who added an extra 2 mg of biperiden, an anticholinergic agent, to the pre-existing amisulpride treatment, achieving a cessation of the visual symptoms a few days later. CONCLUSIONS: Pseudomyopia can be induced by the antipsychotic drug amisulpride. Additional treatment with anticholinergic agents can be used to eliminate this side effect.

Effect of sibutramine on regional fat pads and leptin levels in rats fed with three isocaloric diets.

AIM: The aim of the study was to investigate: a) the differential effect of the three main macronutrients on food intake, fat depots and serum leptin levels and b) the impact of sibutramine on the above parameters in rats fed ad libitum with three isocaloric diets. METHODS: Three groups of male Wistar rats (n = 63) were fed with a high fat diet (HFD), a high carbohydrate diet (HCD) or a high protein diet (HPD) for 13 weeks. In the last three weeks, each group was divided into three subgroups and received sibutramine (S) either at 5 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg, or vehicle. Food intake was measured daily during the last week of the experiment; perirenal and epididymal fat and fat/lean ratio were calculated and serum leptin was assayed. RESULTS: HFD-fed rats demonstrated elevated food intake and higher regional fat depots. S at 10 mg/kg decreased food intake in the HFD and epididymal fat in the HCD group. S also reduced perirenal fat in the HCD and HPD groups. Leptin levels were higher in rats fed with either the HFD or the HPD compared to those fed with the HCD. Moreover, S at 10 mg/kg decreased serum leptin levels in the HPD group. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest a preferential effect of S on perirenal visceral fat and support the view that body fat loss is greater when its administration is accompanied by a HCD diet. No effect of S on leptin levels was found, besides that expected as a result of the decrease in body fat.