ABSTRACT
To determine the effect of intravitreal triamcinolone [IVT] injection on visual acuity in patients with ischemic central retinal occlusion [CRVO]. This randomized clinical trial was performed on patients with ischemic CRVO referred to the retina clinic at Feiz Hospital in 2007-2008. Inclusion criteria were: duration of CRVO less than one month, normal IOP, no sign of diabetic retinopathy or hypertensive retinopathy, no history of laser therapy and ocular surgery and vascular diseases. Patients were randomly allocated to two groups: intervention group [injection of 0.1cc IVT] and control group [no injection]. Follow up examinations for all patients were scheduled 1, 2, 3 and 6 months after injection. The results were analyzed by SPSS13 and t-test. Overall, 52 patients [22 male and 30 female] entered the study. Mean age was 60.5 +/- 9.7 [range: 30-80] years. Duration of signs was 21 +/- 5.5 days in the control group and 19 +/- 6 days in the IVT group [P= 0.66]. All patients had signs of ischemic CRVO. Mean baseline visual acuity was 1.75 +/- 0.20 logMAR in the IVT group and 1.91 +/- 0.08 logMAR in the control group [P= 0.1]. VA improvement in the IVT group was greater in comparison with the control group at one month [P= 0.019] however this difference was not significant at other follow-up examinations. In addition, the difference in IOP between before and after the injection was not significant [P= 0.802]. This study showed that in patients with CRVO, intravitreal injection of triamcinolone, has no significant long-term effect on visual acuity
ABSTRACT
To compare the efficacy of treatment with fortified cefazolin-gentamicin versus fortified vancomycin-ceftazidime eye drops for treatment of bacterial corneal ulcers. A double-blind clinical trial was performed on 89 patients with bacterial corneal ulcers who were referred to Feiz Hospital, Isfahan, Iran from 2004 to 2005. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups: one group included 41 patients who received fortified cefazolin-gentamicin eye drops and the other group included 48 patients who received fortified vancomycin-ceftazidime eye drops. Patients were evaluated in terms of time for re-epithelization, reduction of stromal infiltration and reduction in anterior chamber inflammation as well as culture results and drug complications. The patients included 57 [64%] male and 32 [36%] female subjects. Cultures were negative in 46%. Re-epithelization time was 13.2 +/- 3.1 days in the cefazolin-gentamicin group and 9.6 +/- 2.7 days in the vancomycin-ceftazidime group [P=0.01]. Time for reduction of stromal infiltration and corneal ulcer treatment was 17.7 +/- 4.3 days in the cefazolin-gentamicin group vs 13.8 +/- 3.6 days in the vancomycin-ceftazidime group [P=0.04]. The most common complaint of patients was eye burning in 73.1% of cases in the cefazolin-gentamicin group and 62.9% of cases in the vancomycin-ceftazidime group [P=0.007]. Fortified vancomycin-ceftazidime eye drops are more effective than fortified cefazolin-gentamicin eye drops for the treatment of bacterial corneal ulcers and seem to entail fewer adverse effects