Quality of life and tomography indices in patients with keratoconus.

OBJECTIVE: Keratoconus is a corneal ectasia that leads to thinning and steepening of the corneal surface. We aimed to assess the relationship between quality of life and corneal tomography indices, irrespective of visual acuity. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study using a translated and validated Keratoconus Outcomes Research Questionnaire (KORQ) in Arabic language. We screened patients with keratoconus using the Belin/Ambrósio D-Index. We included the best-seeing eye in each patient with keratoconus, with a best corrected visual acuity better than 0.5. We collected variables including KORQ scores, flattest meridian keratometry, steepest meridian keratometry, mean keratometry front, maximum simulated keratometry, astigmatism front, Q value front, and thickness at the thinnest location. We performed linear regression analysis to identify predictors of the visual function score and symptom score. RESULTS: Sixty-nine patients were included in this study, 43 (62.3%) male and 26 (37.7%) female patients, with a mean age 34.0 ± 11.50 years. The only predictor for visual function score was sex (ß = 11.64, 95% confidence interval: 3.50-19.78). None of the topographic indices were related to quality of life. CONCLUSION: In this study, quality of life in patients with keratoconus was not related to specific tomography indices and might be related to visual acuity itself.

Outcome of Severe Traumatic Brain Injury at KSMC: Functional Outcomes of ICP Monitor Insertion-Two Years' Experience.

PURPOSE: To evaluate functional outcomes of severe traumatic brain injuries after insertion of intracranial pressure (ICP) monitor at King Saud Medical City (KSMC) and their correlation to each other. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective observational study for all adult patients (age >18 years) who were diagnosed with severe head injury and underwent ICP insertion at KSMC. Patients diagnosed between 2017 and 2019 were included. Data for measured outcomes, Glasgow outcome scale (GOS), Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) and length of stay (LOS) and prognostic factors, data like: age, gender and primary Glasgow coma score (GCS) was obtained from patients' files and direct communication with patients or their caregivers. We also compared patients who underwent ICP monitoring alone with those who underwent ICP with decompressive craniectomy (DC). Follow-up period ranged from 6-24 months. RESULTS: Seventy-four patients were included in this cohort study. Outcome measurements for patients with decompression and ICP were lower than those with ICP alone. KPS and GOS showed strong correlation (p<0.01) in whole cohort and in both subgroups (ICP alone and ICP with DC). KPS showed significant correlation with length of stay (p=0.026). CONCLUSION: ICP monitoring is valid tool in management of severely head injured patients. Patients who underwent DC had a worse outcome. KPS can be used as alternative tool to measure functional outcome in severe traumatic brain injury.