Case of Nocardia Cyriacigeorgica Infection of the Eye in a Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis Patient.

Nocardiosis is an infectious disease caused by a group of organisms that are often found in soil and has a very rare incidence of infecting immunocompromised patients. Granulomatosis with polyangiitis patients are often susceptible to being infected with many atypical organisms such as Nocardia cyriacigeorgica. We present a case of a 35-year-old male who is a known case of granulomatosis with polyangiitis and has a repeated history of farm visits. The patient presented with progressive early morning right eye secretions followed by dryness throughout the day with no history of trauma or allergy of seven months duration. An eye swab for culture and sensitivity showed an isolated Nocardia cyriacigeorgica and was treated by trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim) for one year but was lost to follow-up. Early detection of Nocardia cyriacigeorgica is crucial in those groups of patients, as it can prevent further complicated outcomes while proper hygiene education is important.

Chronic Venous Insufficiency: prevalence and effect of compression stockings.

INTRODUCTION: Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) is a common disease affecting mainly lower limbs and significantly influencing the quality of life. This study aims to estimate the prevalence of CVI in the Qassim Region and test the effectiveness of compression stockings as an intervention option. METHODS: A cross sectional study was conducted to assess the prevalence of CVI among patients visiting primary health care (PHC) centers in the Qassim Region. CVI patients were diagnosed and classified using the clinical, etiologic, anatomical, and pathophysiological (CEAP) scale. They were randomly divided into two groups, one using compression stockings and the other standard medical therapy. A clinical follow up was done using multiple scale system including CEAP scale. Data analysis was performed using SPSS. RESULTS: Among the 226 screened patients, 138 (61.1%) were diagnosed as having CVI (69% female and 45% male, p<0.001). Compared to the baseline, both the clinical and venous scores for CVI at the follow-up were significantly lower among patients using compression stockings, p=0.002 and p=0.003, respectively. Regression analysis suggested that, after controlling for age, sex and body mass index, compliance was the main factor responsible for a significant reduction in the clinical score among CVI patients. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic venous insufficiency is very common in the Qassim Region. Compression stockings are highly effective in improving clinical symptoms and signs of CVI. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov(NCT02050061).