Anakinra in the Treatment of Patients with Refractory Scleritis: A Pilot Study.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of anakinra for severe and refractory scleritis. METHODS: Ten patients with severe (i.e. at least 2 ocular relapses per year despite treatment) and refractory [i.e. at least to one disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDS)] scleritis were treated with anakinra (100 mg/day subcutaneously). Scleritis was associated with inflammatory systemic diseases in 60% of cases. The remission rate defined the primary outcome. RESULTS: Ninety percent of patients were complete responders with a mean follow-up of 19.4 months after starting anakinra. The corticosteroids daily dose decreased from 18.3 ± 4.1 mg to 4.2 ± 4.9 mg, (p < 0.05), at initiation of anakinra and at end of follow-up, respectively. Associated immunosuppressants were stopped in all cases except one. Side effects were observed in 4 patients who did not need anakinra withdrawal. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study suggests the efficacy of anakinra in patients with refractory scleritis.

[Perception of glaucoma and therapeutic adherence: A multicenter observational study]. / Perception du glaucome et observance thérapeutique : une étude observationnelle multicentrique.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to evaluate medication adherence of glaucoma patients through the "Glaucoma treatment compliance assessment tool (GTCAT)" questionnaire and to correlate the results with clinical parameters. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This multicenter prospective observational study was performed in the Département hospitalo-universitaire (DHU) Sight Restore, Paris, France. All patients had been followed for chronic open angle glaucoma (COAG) for at least 3 years. A French version of the GTCAT questionnaire was administered to patients. The results were correlated with clinical parameters of glaucoma, such as duration of disease, medications used, intraocular pressure (IOP) and mean deviation (MD) of the most recent visual field. RESULTS: Seventy-three patients were included in our study, with 60.9% declaring that they fully adhered to the treatment. There was a correlation between the amount of days missing treatment and difficulties using the eye drops. The main cause of missing the drops was forgetfulness (75%), followed by unavailability of the drop when it was time to take it (37.5%). The impact of glaucoma on quality of life was correlated to the amount of adverse effects of topical medications. The patient's perception of the importance of preserving vision was correlated to the level of confidence in the physician concerning the diagnosis of glaucoma. CONCLUSION: In glaucoma patients, the use of the GTCAT questionnaire confirmed the complex relationship between the patient, the disease and its treatment, and even his or her relationship with the ophthalmologist. These results emphasized the importance of therapeutic education but also the negative role of side effects of the eye drops on treatment adherence in glaucoma patients.

[Carotid-cavernous fistula: clinical and pathological correlations]. / Fistules carotido-caverneuses: corrélation anatomo-clinique.

INTRODUCTION: Depending upon the type of communication between the internal carotid artery and the cavernous sinus, two types of carotid-cavernous fistulae can be distinguished: direct carotid-cavernous fistula (DCCF), for which diagnosis is usually easy because of the obvious signs of orbital congestion, and indirect carotid-cavernous fistula (ICCF) or dural fistula, with few symptoms, associated with a delay in diagnosis which can alter prognosis for function and even life. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to determine characteristic signs of both types of CCF and to study their correlation with the anatomical type of vessels involved on the angiogram. The prognosis for both types of fistula was also studied. METHOD: Retrospective single-center study, including patients with angiographically confirmed DCCF or ICCF. Demographic, clinical, and prognostic characteristics of these patients were analyzed and compared with the angiogram findings. RESULTS: Six patients (4 DCCF and 2 ICCF) were included in this study. Mean age at diagnosis was 62.7 years in the DCCF group and 62 years in the ICCF group. Mean time until diagnosis was 7 weeks in the DCCF group and 24 weeks in the ICCF group. Signs of orbital congestion were present in 100% of patients with DCCF and absent in all patients in the ICCF group. Mean proptosis was 3.5mm in the DCCF group and 0.5 in the ICCF group. All patients had an audible bruit on auscultation. The location of the bruit was orbital in all patients with DCCF, and pretragal or jugal in 50% of patients with ICCF. CONCLUSIONS: ICCF can impact mortality and are often underdiagnosed. The diagnostic delay observed in our study reflects the difficulties which persist in recognizing the clinical signs of this condition. ICCF must be suspected in the case of a history suggestive of CCF, even if the clinical examination appears normal. The presence of a bruit must be carefully sought, not only in the classical orbital location, but also in other facial locations as shown in our study. Our results demonstrate that there is indeed a good correlation between the site of the CCF, the location of the bruit, and the vessels involved.