Perception of Child Abuse and Child Disciplinary Practice among Adults Abused as Children: Comparison to General Population

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare differences in perception and knowledge of child abuse and child disciplinary practices according to the history of child abuse victimization. METHODS: A questionnaire survey on child abuse was conducted with 491 adults raising children. We compared the perception and knowledge of child abuse and child disciplinary practices between two groups of adults with and without a history of childhood abuse victimization. RESULTS: The group with a history of childhood abuse had lower levels of knowledge of child abuse (F=6.990, p<0.01) and engaged in more negative disciplinary practices (F=5.974, p<0.05) than those without. However, no differences in the perception of child abuse were observed between the two groups. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that adults with a history of childhood abuse have lower levels of knowledge of child abuse and use more negative disciplinary practices in raising their children. This highlights the need to administer not only educational but also more direct hands-on interventions to vulnerable parents in order to foster healthy parenting and disciplinary practices.

Eyelid Stretching Exercise Performed in Overcorrection after Levator Resection in Congenital Ptosis

PURPOSE: To report the clinical effect of an eyelid stretching exercise in 8 cases of overcorrected congenital ptosis after levator resection and present a literature review. CASE SUMMARY: Eyelid stretching exercise was performed by pushing the margin of the upper eyelid down. If margin reflex distance 1 (MRD1) asymmetry was larger than 1.5 mm compared with the other eyelid after the stretching exercise for 2 weeks, the exercise was extended for 1 more week. This study included 8 eyes of 8 patients who performed eyelid stretching exercise for 2 weeks when overcorrected 1 week after undergoing levator resection. We compared preoperative MRD1 and postoperative MRD1s for 1 month. Overcorrection was corrected satisfactorily in all patients with bilateral symmetry with eyelid stretching exercise for 2 weeks. Additional exercise did not affect MRD1. CONCLUSIONS: In congenital ptosis overcorrected after levator resection, medical treatment including eyelid stretching exercise could be considered before undergoing a secondary operation. Eyelid stretching exercise can be effective when performed early before fibrous tissue bonds are too firm.

Measuring Blood Viscosity in Normal Tension Glaucoma Patients

PURPOSE: Non-intraocular pressure (IOP) factors such as vascular factors have been identified as contributing to normal tension glaucoma. However, there is not an established range of haemorheological factors considered normal, nor are there standardized tests. In this study, we investigated differences in blood viscosity and haemorheological parameters between patients with normal tension glaucoma (NTG) and normal controls using a new instrument called the BVD-RO1 (BIO-VISCO. Inc., Jeonju, Korea). METHODS: Twenty patients with NTG and 20 age-matched normal controls were included in the study. Haemorheological parameters of the venous blood samples, including blood viscosity at the shear rates of 300 (high shear rate) and 1 (low shear rate) s-1 were measured using an automated scanning capillary tube viscometer. RESULTS: More hematocrit concentration was detected in the NTG group than in the control group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, higher blood viscosities at the high (p < 0.01) and low (p < 0.01) shear rates were found in the NTG group. CONCLUSIONS: The NTG patients differed in blood viscosity with the control group. This may signify the importance of hemodynamic factors in the pathogenesis of NTG.

Results of Cultured Silicone Tubes Inserted in Congenital Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction

PURPOSE: We evaluated cultured specimens from silicone tubes removed from patients with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction and determined the antibiotic sensitivities of the specimens. METHODS: This study included 26 eyes of 22 patients who had received endonasal silicone tube intubation for congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction. The removed silicone tubes were divided into canaliculus, lacrimal sac, nasolacrimal duct and nasal cavity parts according to insertion state. Then, bacteria and fungus cultures were performed and their antibiotic sensitivity was tested. RESULTS: Bacteria culture rate was 80.8% in the canaliculus and the lacrimal sac, and 88.5% in the lacrimal duct, and the nasal cavity, which was not significantly different according to insertion site. Fungus culture rate was significantly higher in the nasal cavity than in the nasolacrimal duct and in the nasolacrimal duct than in the lacrimal sac and the canaliculus (p-value < 0.05). The species of cultured Gram-positive bacteria were in the following order: Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumonia and coagulase negative Staphylococcus. Common species of cultured Gram-negative bacteria were Pseudomonas and Serratia marcescens. All six species of cultured fungi were Candida. Among 12 Staphylococcus aureus cultured, eight species showed resistance to methicillin (MRSA). In all patients, the symptoms and the signs of nasolacrimal duct obstruction improved after the tube removal. CONCLUSIONS: Bacterial and fungal infection of the silicone tube in patients with congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction does not appear to affect directly the outcome of silicone tube intubation. Further studies of bacterium and fungi in the nasolacrimal duct before silicone tube intubation are needed for determining the infection causing nasolacrimal duct obstruction.