A comparative systematic scan of COVID-19 health literacy information sources for Canadian university students. / Analyse comparative systématique des sources d'information sur la littératie en matière de santé liée à la COVID-19 des étudiants universitaires au Canada.

INTRODUCTION: With the rapid spread of online coronavirus-related health information, it is important to ensure that this information is reliable and effectively communicated. This study observes the dissemination of COVID-19 health literacy information by Canadian postsecondary institutions aimed at university students as compared to provincial and federal government COVID-19 guidelines. METHODS: We conducted a systematic scan of web pages from Canadian provincial and federal governments and from selected Canadian universities to identify how health information is presented to university students. We used our previously implemented health literacy survey with Canadian postsecondary students as a sampling frame to determine which academic institutions to include. We then used specific search terms to identify relevant web pages using Google and integrated search functions on government websites, and compared the information available on pandemic measures categorized by university response strategies, sources of expertise and branding approaches. RESULTS: Our scan of Canadian government and university web pages found that universities similarly created one main page for COVID-19 updates and information and linked to public sector agencies as a main resource, and mainly differed in their provincial and local sources for obtaining information. They also differed in their strategies for communicating and displaying this information to their respective students. CONCLUSION: The universities in our sample outlined similar policies for their students, aligning with Canadian government public health recommendations and their respective provincial or regional health authorities. Maintaining the accuracy of these information sources is important to ensure student health literacy and counter misinformation about COVID-19.

Using Social Media as a Survey Recruitment Strategy for Post-Secondary Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic rapidly forced Canadian post-secondary students into remote learning methods, with potential implications on their academic success and health. In recent years, the use of social media to promote research participation and as a strategy for communicating health messages has become increasingly popular. To better understand how the pandemic has impacted this population, we used social media platforms to recruit students to participate in a national bilingual COVID-19 Health Literacy Survey. The purpose of the survey was to assess the health literacy levels and online information-seeking behaviors of post-secondary students in relation to the coronavirus. This paper outlines the social media recruitment strategies used for promoting participation in the survey among Canadian post-secondary students during the pandemic. Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts were created to promote the online survey. The objective of this paper is to examine the use of Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter as survey recruitment strategies tailored to students. Data analytics from these platforms were analyzed using descriptive statistics. We found that the most commonly used platform for survey dissemination was Twitter, with 64800 total impressions recorded over 3 months. The use of social media as a survey recruitment strategy showed promise in the current context of COVID-19 where many students are participating in online learning and for a study population that actively uses these platforms to seek out information.

Prevalence of dengue maculopathy in patients hospitalized for dengue fever.

OBJECTIVE: Dengue fever causes numerous systemic manifestations, including maculopathy, with loss of vision. This study sought to determine the prevalence of dengue maculopathy in patients hospitalized with dengue fever. DESIGN: Cross-sectional observational study in which consecutive patients hospitalized with dengue fever during a dengue epidemic were enrolled over a 3-week period. PARTICIPANTS: Patients hospitalized in 2 general hospitals in Singapore with dengue fever. TESTING: Patients completed a standardized questionnaire and underwent tests for near and distance visual acuity (VA), Amsler grid testing, dilated retinal examination, serum complements C3 and C4, and urinary microalbumin. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Dengue maculopathy found on retinal examination. RESULTS: One hundred ninety-seven patients were enrolled, of whom 119 (60.4%) were male and 78 (39.6%) female. The patients ranged between 12 and 67 years old (mean, 32.65). One hundred sixty of 197 patients had positive dengue immunoglobulin M serology. Dengue maculopathy was detected in 27 eyes of 16 of the seropositive patients, giving a prevalence of 10% (95% confidence interval, 6.03%-15.40%). None of the patients who were dengue immunoglobulin M negative had dengue maculopathy. Dengue maculopathy eyes were more likely to have distance acuity worse than logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution 0.15 (Snellen 6/9 or worse) (P = 0.005) and abnormalities on Amsler grid testing (P = 0.001), with a greater proportion of these patients having visual complaints (P = 0.002) and lower mean complement C3 levels (P = 0.008) as compared with patients without maculopathy. Logistic regression analysis showed Amsler grid abnormalities to be the most consistent factor associated with dengue-related maculopathy (P<0.001), with a hazard ratio of 8.669; sensitivity, 29.6%; and specificity, 95.4%. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of dengue maculopathy among patients hospitalized for dengue fever is 10% in our series. Amsler grid abnormalities, reduced distance VA, and the presence of visual symptoms are associated with dengue maculopathy. Low complement C3 levels in these patients suggest that this is an immune-mediated disease.

Dengue-associated maculopathy.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical spectrum of fundus manifestations and angiographic and optical coherence tomographic features of dengue-associated maculopathy in a large series. METHODS: We reviewed clinical records of patients diagnosed as having dengue maculopathy at the Singapore National Eye Centre between January 1, 2002, and December 31, 2005. RESULTS: We identified 41 patients with serological evidence of dengue fever who had ocular signs and symptoms not attributable to other diseases within 1 month after onset of symptoms of dengue. Seventy-one eyes had maculopathy. Mean best-corrected visual acuity in the affected eye was 20/40 (range, hand motions to 20/20). Intraretinal hemorrhages were seen in 45% of eyes, usually in association with venous sheathing. Fundus fluorescein angiography demonstrated venular occlusion in 25% or arteriolar and/or venular leakage in 3% and 13%, respectively. Yellow subretinal dots were an unusual finding in 28%. Of these, 50% showed corresponding hypofluorescent spots on indocyanine green angiography. Central or paracentral scotomas were observed in 63%. Twenty-eight patients received steroid treatment. Mean visual acuity showed significant improvement between weeks 2 and 4, with an increasing proportion of eyes achieving a best-corrected visual acuity of 20/40 or better across time. CONCLUSION: Fundus fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography, optical coherence tomography, and visual field testing are useful tools in the diagnosis of dengue maculopathy.

Comparison of outcomes of trabeculectomies using 0.4 mg/ml versus 0.2 mg/ml concentrations of mitomycin-C

Methods: A prospective, randomized, comparative study was performed involving patients undergoing trabeculectomy who were randomly assigned to either 0.2 mg/ml MMC for 4 minutes or 0.4 mg/ml for 2 minutes. The IOP, bleb characteristics, and occurrence of complications were compared. Age and gender of the patients, preoperative IOP, MMC concentration, bleb characteristics, angle status, and age of the surgery were analyzed to determine if they are predictive factors of the postoperative IOP using univariate and multivariate analyses. Results Seventy-four eyes of 68 patients underwent trabeculectomy: 36 eyes were treated with 0.2 mg/ml MMC for 4 minutes and 38 eyes with 0.4 mg/ml MMC for 2 minutes. There was no statistically significant difference in the mean preoperative IOP and postoperative IOP, as well as in the mean percent change in IOP (p = 0.87) between the 2 groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed the preoperative IOP (p = 0.02) and the type of filtering bleb (cystic p < 0.001; diffuse p = 0.045) as predictive factors of postoperative IOP. KaplanMeier survival curves showed no significant difference between the 2 groups at an average follow-up of 20 weeks. Conclusion: There is no significant difference in the outcomes of trabeculectomies using 0.2 mg/ml and 0.4 mg/ml MMC. Preoperative IOP and bleb characteristics are factors predictive of successful filtration surgery.

Correlation of central corneal thickness and Goldmann applanation tonometry among Filipinos

Methods: A prospective cross-sectional study was performed among Filipino patients consulting at the General Ophthalmology Clinic of the Philippine General Hospital. They underwent a comprehensive eye examination. CCT obtained by ultrasonic pachymetry and IOP by Goldmann applanation tonometry were correlated using linear regression analysis. Factors affecting CCT measurements were analyzed by ANOVA. Results: Two hundred twenty two eyes of 112 patients were included in the study. CCT ranged from 451.0 mm to 653.6 mm with a mean of 531.5 mm +/- 33.8 mm. There was a significant linear correlation between CCT and IOP (r=0.63). The IOP was noted to rise by 4.3 mm Hg/100 mm CCT. Conclusion: The CCT among Filipinos is normally distributed and is comparable to the distribution obtained by metaanalysis of worldwide data. The study also found a direct correlation between CCT and IOP among Filipinos.

The cost-effectiveness of management of Filipino patients with chronic primary glaucoma in a tertiary charity hospital setting

Chronic primary glaucoma affects sight very quietly - until such time that the progression of the disease is considerably advanced. The search for the ideal therapeutic approach to the disease can only provide, at best, for the arrest of the damage to the optic nerve head by bringing down the intraocular pressure to a level low enough to elude harm. Patients afflicted with the disease are bound to a therapy of a lifetime. This has implications of understated proportions in the economic scenario of a developing country. This study is conceived to determine the cost-effectiveness of chronic primary glaucoma management. A cross-sectional study design is employed to answer this objective. Medical records of 290 study eyes of 148 patients with chronic primary glaucoma (aged 14 - 88 years) are evaluated for cost-effectiveness of therapy. Results have shown that on one hand, medical therapy has a mean annual cost of PhP 5,830.00 + 278.00. On the other hand, surgical therapy has a one-time mean annual cost of PhP 8,100.00 + 359.00.Comparing cost-effectiveness using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), one finds that filtering surgery is at least twice more cost effective than medical management (p0.001). Surgical complications, however, may hamper the effectiveness of filtering surgery. The study recommends that young patients with advanced disease and with higher IOP at the time of consult could be served more efficiently with a filter, whereas elderly patients approaching their life expectancy who can comply with the demands of effective medical management may not benefit much from it.

Wound strength of experimental corneal perforations sealed with fibrin glue in cadaver porcine eyes

Objectives: This is a study to determine the relative wound strength of a commercial fibrin tissue adhesive (Beriplast P, Aventis Behring) compared to 10-0 nylon sutures in sealing experimentally induced corneal perforations in cadaver porcine eyes. Methodology: Single Blind Completely Randomized Design. Sixty freshly enucleatedporcine eyes with an average corneal diameter of 11.5 mm were used. These were randomly allocated into the 3.2 mm perforation group (n = 30) and the 5.2 mm perforation group (n = 30). All perforations were made perpendicular to the corneal surface with a standard preset metal keratome at the central portion of the cornea. Fifteen corneal perforations in each group were again randomly sealed with either interrupted nylon 10-0 sutures or Beriplast P (65-115 mg/mL). Intraocular pressure was raised by injecting normal saline into the anterior chamber and determined by a manometer attached to it. The presealing and postsealing leaking pressures were recorded. Wound leak was determined by Seidels test Results: The mean leaking pressure of the 3.2 mm group sealed with nylon suture was 237.47 mm Hg and 237.33 mm Hg for those sealed with fibrin tissue adhesive. The mean leaking pressures of the 5.2-mm group was 1984 mm Hg for both sealing techniques. The difference in leakingpressures of both sealing techniques was not significant using a power of 80 percent to detect a difference of 30 mm Hg Conclusion: The wound strength of corneal perforations sealed with fibrin tissue adhesive, as measured by the leaking pressures, is comparable to that of those sealed with nylon 10-0 sutures in cadaveric porcine eyes. (Author)

Latanoprost in the management of angle closure glaucoma

Objective: To investigate the effect of latanoprost in IOP after laser iridectomy or filtering surgery Methodology: Patients of chronic angle closure glaucoma post laser iridectomy or filtering surgery were given latanoprost 0.005 percent eye drop in the evening for 2-6 weeks after a washout period ranging from 5 days - 28 days. IOP was measured at 9:00 a. m., 1:00 p.m. and 5: 00 p.m. per patient using a calibrated goldmann applanation tonometer Results: 29 patients were enrolled in study. There was a significant reduction in IOP among these patients Conclusion: Latanoprost 0.005 percent provides a significant reduction in IOP among patients with residual angle closure after laser iridectomy or filtering surgery. (Author)