[Potentially inappropriate prescription according to the "STOPP" Criteria in heavily polymedicated elderly patients]. / Prescripción potencialmente inadecuada en pacientes mayores grandes polimedicados según criterios "STOPP".

INTRODUCTION: Appropriate prescribing is especially relevant in elderly people. The objective of this study is to analyse the potentially inappropriate prescription (PIP) in heavily polymedicated elderly patients according to the criteria Screening Tool of Older Person's Prescriptions. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Primary Care on patients assigned to the Siero-Sariego (Asturias) Health Centre, who were over 64 years old and heavily polymedicated (consumption >10 drugs for six months). The 65 Screening Tool of Older Person's Prescriptions criteria were reviewed in the electronic Primary Care patient records, collecting sociodemographic variables, prescribed medications, and chronic diseases. Frequency distributions were made for each criterion, and causes related to PIP were explored using contingency tables, the Spearman correlation coefficient, and logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 349 polymedicated elderly patients were analysed with a prevalence of 6.4 (95% CI:5.76-7.08), a mean age of 79.2 years (SD:3.7), 62.2% were female, 14% institutionalised, a Charlson index of 2.9. The mean of number of drugs was 11.5 (SD:1.7), and the most frequent pathologies were high blood pressure (64%), diabetes (46%), and osteoarticular diseases (41%). There was at least one PIP in 72.9% of heavily polymedicated elderly patients [(Mean: 1.32 (SD:1.2)]. The Screening Tool of Older Person's Prescriptions criteria least complied with were: therapeutic duplication (25.2%), use of long-acting benzodiazepines (15.8%), and inappropriate use of aspirin (10.9%). An association was found between having any inappropriate prescription and the number of medications prescribed (OR=1.22 [95% CI:1.04-1.43]) and inversely to the Charlson index (OR=0.76 [95% CI:0.65-0.89]). CONCLUSIONS: PIP is common in heavily polymedicated elderly patients. Special attention must be paid to the use of psychotropic drugs, which are implicated in a high volume of PIP.

[Dry eye signs and symptoms in hydrogel contact lens wearers: relation to smoking habit]. / Síntomas y signos de ojo seco en usuarios de lentes de contacto hidrofílicas: relación con el hábito de fumar.

PURPOSE: To determine whether there may be a relationship between the smoking habit ant the presence of dry eye signs and symptoms in a population of hydrogel contact lens (HCL) wearers. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 60 adults HCL wearers were chosen randomly. The sample was divided into three groups: nonsmokers, smokers of less than 15 cigarettes per day and smokers of more than 15 cigarettes per day. The ocular symptoms were evaluated with a questionnaire (modified Mc Monnies test). Evaluation of tear meniscus, Schirmer test with anesthesia, non invasive break-up time (NIBUT), slit lamp examination and fluorescein staining were performed to assess ocular signs of dry eye. RESULTS: No significant differences were found among the three study groups. CONCLUSION: Smoking does not seem to affect the presence of signs and symptoms of ocular dryness in a population of HCL wearers and does not predispose to contact lens intolerance.

Síntomas y signos de ojo seco en usuarios de lentes de contacto hidrofílicas: relación con el hábito de fumar / Dry eye signs and symptoms in hydrogel contact lens wearers: relation to smoking habit

Objetivo: Comprobar si existe una mayor prevalencia de signos y síntomas de sequedad ocular en sujetos portadores de lentes de contacto hidrofílicas (LCH) que son fumadores, frente a usuarios de LCH que no fuman. Material y Métodos: Se seleccionaron 60 adultos de modo aleatorio de las historias clínicas de pacientes usuarios de LCH. La muestra fue dividida en tres grupos: no fumadores, fumadores de menos de 15 cigarrillos por día y fumadores de más de 15 cigarrillos por día. Para valorar los síntomas se realizó un cuestionario (test de Mc Monnies modificado) y para el estudio de los signos se evaluó el menisco lagrimal, el test de Schirmer con anestesia, el tiempo de ruptura de la película lagrimal no invasivo (NIBUT) y el estado de la superficie ocular mediante biomicroscopia del polo anterior. Resultados: No se encontraron diferencias significativas en las pruebas realizadas para ninguno de los tres grupos estudiados. Conclusión: El hábito de fumar no parece afectar al desarrollo de intolerancia a LCH originado por la aparición de síndrome de ojo seco (AU)

Purpose: To determine whether there may be a relationship between the smoking habit ant the presence of dry eye signs and symptoms in a population of hydrogel contact lens (HCL) wearers. Material and Methods: 60 adults HCL wearers were chosen randomly. The sample was divided into three groups: nonsmokers, smokers of less than 15 cigarettes per day and smokers of more than 15 cigarettes per day. The ocular symptoms were evaluated with a questionnaire (modified Mc Monnies test). Evaluation of tear meniscus, Schirmer test with anesthesia, non invasive break-up time (NIBUT), slit lamp examination and fluorescein staining were performed to assess ocular signs of dry eye. Results: No significant differences were found among the three study groups. Conclusion: Smoking does not seem to affect the presence of signs and symptoms of ocular dryness in a population of HCL wearers and does not predispose to contact lens intolerance (AU)

[Functional improvement after vision rehabilitation in low monocular vision after myopic macular degeneration and retinal detachment]. / Mejora funcional tras la rehabilitación visual en una paciente con visión monocular deficitaria debido a degeneración macular miópica y desprendimiento de retina.

PURPOSE: We present a case of a 62 year-old woman, with a single eye functional vision (VA of 0.16) who improved her vision after following a vision rehabilitation program, which included optical and non-optical devices for daily performance. CONCLUSIONS: A correct optometric evaluation and a training program are key factors to improve quality of life in low vision patients, whose ocular pathology allows no other treatment.

Mejora funcional tras la rehabilitación visual en una paciente con visión monocular deficitaria debido a degeneración macular miópica y desprendimiento de retina / Functional improvement after vision rehabilitation in low monocular vision after myopic macular degeneration and retinal detachment

Objetivo: En este artículo se presenta el caso de una mujer de 62 años con visión funcional en un solo ojo (0,16) que mejoró sus actividades cotidianas con el uso de ayudas ópticas y no ópticas mediante un programa de Rehabilitación Visual adaptado a sus necesidades. Conclusión: Los únicos requisitos necesarios para conseguir la reincorporación de un paciente de baja visión a sus actividades diarias son una correcta evaluación optométrica acompañada de un programa de entrenamiento visual (AU)

[First results of the IOBA low vision unit]. / Primeros resultados de la Unidad de Baja Visión del IOBA.

PURPOSE: To verify the efficacy a treatment for the rehabilitation of vision in our Unit for Clinical Low Vision in the testing of improvements in patient's efficiency for daily life activities. MATERIAL AND METHOD: 80 patients were studied. Ophthalmologic and optometric evaluation followed by a customised vision rehabilitation program were performed according to patient's immediate needs. In a second stage a telephoned questionnaire was filled in order to record efficacy of prescribed visual aids in their own environment. RESULTS: Rehabilitation training resulted in 89% of patients showing improvement in their quality of life in both fields; functional and psychological. 85% of patients showed improvement in near activities and 35% in far activities. DISCUSSION: A correct and specialised low vision refraction and a posterior vision rehabilitation training in the use of optical and non optical aids show increase in quality of life in patients with severe visual deficiencies.

Primeros resultados de la unidad de baja visión del IOBA / First results of the IOBA low vision unit

Objetivo: Verificar la eficacia del tratamiento mediante Rehabilitación Visual de nuestra Unidad de Baja Visión comprobando la mejora en el rendimiento en las actividades de la vida cotidiana de pacientes con deficiencias visuales graves. Material y métodos: Se estudió un total de 80 pacientes. Tras una evaluación oftalmológica y optométrica completas, fueron sometidos a un programa de rehabilitación visual individualizado adaptado a su resto visual y necesidades inmediatas. Posteriormente se realizó una encuesta telefónica para comprobar la eficacia de las ayudas visuales prescritas en su entorno. Resultados: Un 89 por ciento de los pacientes mejoraron su calidad de vida tanto en el plano funcional como en el psicológico, un 85 por ciento mejoró en las tareas que requerían visión de cerca y un 35 por ciento en las de lejos, posterior al entrenamiento de la rehabilitación visual. Discusión: Una correcta refracción y el posterior entrenamiento en el uso de ayudas ópticas y no ópticas aumenta la calidad de vida de los pacientes con deficiencias visuales severas (AU)