Quality of life for spouses of CAPD patients.

The overall purpose of this study was to describe the quality of life (QoL) for spouses of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients and to determine what factors are the best predictors of the spouses' perceived QoL. Thirty-eight spouses of CAPD patients from 2 dialysis units completed a demographic data form, the Jalowiec Coping Scale, the Dyadic Adjustment Scale, and the Quality of Life Index. The primary CAPD nurses completed the End Stage Renal Disease Severity Index on the ill partner. The results showed that 21% of the spouses perceived their QoL as high, 55% perceived their QoL as moderate, and 24% perceived their QoL as fair to poor. The results indicated that the QoL for the spouse is similar to that of CAPD patients with the exception of the family domain. On the family domain, the spouses scored significantly lower. Marital adjustment was the best predictor of QoL for the spouse. Income was the next best predictor. These two variables combined for a predictive value of 85%. Understanding the effect that a chronic illness has on the spouse will assist nurses in providing quality care for both the patient and the spouse.

Intraocular lens centration with continuous tear capsulotomy.

This study was designed to determine whether continuous tear capsulotomy was associated with improved posterior chamber lens centration. Two hundred eyes were divided into two subgroups of 100 patients each. In one subgroup a standard can-opener capsulotomy was performed and in the other, a continuous tear capsulotomy. All other factors including the cataract extraction technique, intraocular lens (IOL) style, the capsular bag placement of the IOL, and the use of viscoelastic material were constant. In this study, IOLs implanted after a continuous tear capsulotomy were found to center more reliably than IOLs implanted after a can-opener capsulotomy (P less than .01).

Congenital toxoplasmosis presenting as isolated acute chorioretinitis in the neonate.

We describe a neonate with congenital ocular toxoplasmosis that presented as isolated, acute bilateral retinochoroiditis. Although toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis is not rare, it is quite unusual to diagnose congenital toxoplasmosis based on isolated bilateral retinochoroiditis in an otherwise healthy neonate. Bilateral retinochoroiditis can be caused by syphilis, herpes virus, cytomegalovirus, and toxoplasmosis. Because specific treatments now exist for these conditions, it is important to establish proper diagnosis so that treatment can be initiated promptly. The differential diagnosis, work-up, and management of retinochoroiditis in the newborn is presented and discussed.

Bilateral carcinomas of the eyelid.

A 41-year-old man receiving long-term immunosuppressive therapy after renal transplantation developed progressive ulcerative lesions involving both lower eyelids. The lesions began as crusting and exfoliating masses and developed over a one-year period. A biopsy demonstrated that the lesions were invasive squamous cell carcinomas.