Quality of life in glaucoma patients and normal subjects related to the severity of damage in each eye. / Relación entre la calidad de vida y la severidad del daño funcional en pacientes con glaucoma.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the quality of life in glaucoma patients and normal subjects, and to assess its relationship with the severity of damage in each eye. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with prospective selection of cases. The study included 464 subjects and were distributed into 4categories. Subjects included in group 1 had both eyes normal, that is with a normal intraocular pressure (IOP), optic disk and visual fields (VF), or mild glaucoma, defined as untreated IOP>21mmHg and abnormal VF with mean defect (MD) over -6dB. Group 2 consisted of patients with both eyes with mild or moderate glaucoma, defined as untreated IOP>21mmHg and abnormal VF with MD between -6 and -12dB. Group 3 included patients with moderate to severe glaucoma, that is, untreated IOP>21mmHg and abnormal VF with MD of less than -12dB in both eyes. Group 4 consisted of patients with asymmetric glaucoma damage, that is, they had one eye with severe glaucoma and the other eye normal or with mild glaucoma. All subjects completed 3 different questionnaires. Global quality of life was evaluated with EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D). Vision related quality of life was assessed with Visual Function Questionnaire (VFQ-25). Quality of life related to ocular surface disease was measured with Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI). RESULTS: VFQ-25 showed that group 3 had significantly lower scores than group 1 in mental health (P=.006), dependence (P=.006), colour vision (P=.002), and peripheral vision (P=.002). EQ-5D showed no significant differences between any group, but a trend was found to greater difficulty in group 3 than in groups 1 and 2, and in all dimensions. OSDI showed a higher score, or which was the same as a major disability, in groups 2 and 3 than group 1 (P=.021 and P=.014, respectively). VFQ-25 only found significant differences between group 1 and group 4. Dimensions with significant differences were found between group 1 and 3 (both eyes with advanced or moderate glaucoma). These were not found between group 1 and group 4 (the group in which one eye has only mild glaucoma or no glaucoma). This finding confirms that the eye with less glaucoma damage determines the quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that quality of life is impaired in patients with glaucoma, and this alteration is greater the more advanced is glaucoma damage in the best or both eyes.

Morphological characteristics of the optic nerve evaluated by confocal laser tomography (HRT3) and laser polarimetry (GDx-VCC) in a normal population from the city of Barcelona.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate morphological parameters of optic disc and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) examined with confocal laser tomography (HRT3) and laser polarimetry (GDx-VCC) in a normal population, and analyze correlations of these parameters with demographic variables. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional study in the context of a glaucoma screening campaign in the primary care center of Barcelona. The individuals selected were non-hypertensive Mediterranean Caucasians with risk for glaucoma development (individuals≥60 years old or≥40 years old with family history of glaucoma or intraocular pressure or myopia>3diopter). All subjects underwent a complete ophthalmic examination, confocal laser tomography (HRT3) and scanning laser polarimetry (GDX-VCC), subjects with results within normal limits only being included. Structural parameters were analyzed along with age, refraction, and pachymetry based on the Spearman rank correlation test. RESULTS: A total of 224 subjects included, with a mean age of 63.4±11.1 years. Disc areas, excavation and ring area were 2.14±0.52mm(2), 0.44±0.34mm (2) and 1.69±0.38mm(2), respectively. The mean RNFL (GDX) was 55.9±6.9µm. Age was correlated with lower ring volume, highest rate of cup shape measure, largest mean and maximum cup depth, lower nerve fiber index (NFI) and RNFL (all p-values below .05). CONCLUSION: The mean values and distribution of several parameters of the papilla and the RNFL in normal Mediterranean Caucasians population are presented. A loss of thickness of the RNFL, ring thinning, and enlarged cup was observed with increased age.

Peritonitis bacteriana espontánea en cáncer gástrico / Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in gastric cancer

Se presentan dos casos de peritonitis bacteriana espontánea en pacientes con cáncer gástrico avanzado según clasificación de Borrmann sin cirrosis ni ascitis. Se discuten los aspectos etiopatogénicos, diagnósticos y terapéutico. La laparotomía es mandatoria en estos casos, para destacar fehacientemente un foco originario intraabdominal

Manejo de la perforación esofágica instrumental / Management of the instrumental esophageal perforation

La perforación instrumental del esófago es una grave complicación. Presentamos nuestra esperiencia en su tratamiento que se basa en la desfuncionalización del esófago y aseo de los espacios contaminados. Se trata de 5 pacientes, 3 portadores de cánceres esofágicos y 2 de estenosis benignas. La perforación ocurrió en 4 por dilatación endoscópica y en 1 fue secundaria a una endoscopía diagnóstica. A todos se les practicó esofagostomía proximal, aseo y drenaje mediastínico, descompresión gástrica mediante sonda gástrica y vía de alimentación enteral. Sólo un paciente evoluciona con sepsis que se logra controlar. Los pacientes con enfermedad benigna fueron reconstotuídos mediante cierre del esofagostoma. De los neoplásicos, uno se reconstituyó con puente esofágico con tubo gástrico al cuello, y dos no fueron reconstituídos. Pensamos que la desfuncionalización esofágica con esofagostoma cervical y aseo mediastínico es un procedimiento sencillo, seguro y que permite recuperar los pacientes con perforación esofágica instrumental para posterior resección o reconstitución