Vision screening in children: Is 7-9 years of age a threshold for visual impairment?

Objective: The present study aimed to assess the prevalence of decreased visual acuity, strabismus, and spectacle wear in children aged 5 to 13 years

Methods:A cross-sectional study was performed in primary education schools. A total of 1938 participants, including 940 females [48.5%] and 998 males [51.5%] with a mean age 8.96 +/- 2.31 [5-13 years old], were screened. The comparisons were performed with gender, age, and age groups. The children attended to vision screening were assigned to three age groups as 5-6 years, 7-9 years, and 10-13 years

Results:The prevalence of the parameters was detected as decreased visual acuity 12.4%, strabismus 2.2%, and spectacle wear 6.9%. The prevalence of decreased visual acuity was significantly higher in girls and in children aged 7-9 years old [p = 0.013, p < 0.001]. The prevalence of spectacle wear was significantly higher in girls and in children aged 7-9 years old [p = 0.019, p < 0.001]. There was a visual acuity decrease in 33 of 106 [31.1%] children despite wearing own spectacle. There was no significant difference among three age groups for strabismus

Conclusion:Increased prevalence of decreased visual acuity, as well as the higher frequency of spectacle wear in children at ages of 7-9 years old may point out a threshold for visual impairment

Are all fixed dose combinations equally effective in blood pressure control? the analysis of four different fixed dose antihypertensive combinations

Hypertension guidelines recommend the use of fixed dose combinations as the first step treatment in patients with stage 2 and 3 hypertension. The aim of this study was to compare the antihypertensive effects of four different fixed-dose preparations containing beta blocker [BB]-diuretic, ACE inhibitor [ACEI]-diuretic, angiotensin receptor blocker [ARB]-diuretic, and calcium channel blocker [CCB]-ACEI. Eighty patients with newly diagnosed hypertension whose sitting blood pressure [BP] >/= 160/100 mmHg were randomized to receive either of those four fixed dose antihypertensive preparations: atenolol 50 mg-hydrochlorotiazide [HCTZ] 12.5 mg, or lisinopril 20 mg-HCTZ 12.5 mg, or telmisartan 80 mg-HCTZ 12.5 mg or verapamil 180 mg- trandolapril 2 mg. All the patients were followed up for six months. Both systolic BP [SBP] and diastolic BP [DBP] were reduced similarly in all groups [45.7/22.4 mmHg in BB-diuretic group, 45.8/18.1 mmHg in ACEI-diuretic group, 54.6/17.6 mmHg in ARB-diuretic group and 38.9/16 mmHg in ACEI-CCB group. For SBP p=0.19 and for DBP p=0.43]. All investigated fixed dose antihypertensive combinations were found similarly effective in reducing blood pressure