Ocular syphilis: case series (2000-2015) from 2 tertiary care centres in Montreal, Canada.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the demographics, clinical presentation, proportion of co-infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and treatment of patients with ocular syphilis seen at the ophthalmology department of 2 tertiary centres in Montreal, Canada. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: A total of 169 eyes of 115 patients, seen between 2000 and 2015, with a positive syphilis treponemal serology and a likely syphilis-related ophthalmologic diagnosis. Subgroup analysis was performed between HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected patients. RESULTS: Mean age of onset was 55 years, and 79% were male. Mean presenting logMAR visual acuity was 0.7. HIV status was available for 66%, of whom 49% were HIV-infected. The anatomical ocular diagnoses included isolated anterior uveitis (18%) and posterior segment involvement (42%). Both eyes were affected in 47%. Lumbar puncture (LP) was performed in 55%, of whom 22% had a positive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test. Antibiotherapy, consisting of intravenous penicillin alone or in addition to intramuscular benzathine penicillin, was administered in 65 patients (69%). Treatment allowed a visual improvement of -0.23 logMAR. HIV-infected patients were younger men (p < 0.01) and had more abnormal CSF analysis (p = 0.02), but there were no statistically significant differences in the anatomical location of ocular inflammation or visual function improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Given its varied presentations, syphilis must always be part of the differential diagnosis of intraocular inflammation. HIV testing and an LP are required in the evaluation of ocular syphilis, which should be treated as neurosyphilis with the appropriate regimen.

Randomized Controlled Study of a Remote Flipped Classroom Neuro-otology Curriculum.

CONTEXT: Medical Education can be delivered in the traditional classroom or via novel technology including an online classroom. OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that learning in an online classroom would result in similar outcomes as learning in the traditional classroom when using a flipped classroom pedagogy. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. A total of 274 subjects enrolled in a Neuro-otology training program for non-Neuro-otologists of 25 h held over a 3-day period. Subjects were randomized into a "control" group attending a traditional classroom and a "trial" group of equal numbers participating in an online synchronous Internet streaming classroom using the Adobe Connect e-learning platform. INTERVENTIONS: Subjects were randomized into a "control" group attending a traditional classroom and a "treatment" group of equal numbers participating in an online synchronous Internet streaming classroom. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pre- and post-multiple choice examinations of VOR, Movement, Head Turns, Head Tremor, Neurodegeneration, Inferior Olivary Complex, Collateral Projections, Eye Movement Training, Visual Saccades, Head Saccades, Visual Impairment, Walking Speed, Neuroprotection, Autophagy, Hyperkinetic Movement, Eye and Head Stability, Oscilllatory Head Movements, Gaze Stability, Leaky Neural Integrator, Cervical Dystonia, INC and Head Tilts, Visual Pursuits, Optokinetic Stimulation, and Vestibular Rehabilitation. METHODS: All candidates took a pretest examination of the subject material. The 2-9 h and 1-8 h sessions over three consecutive days were given live in the classroom and synchronously in the online classroom using the Adobe Connect e-learning platform. Subjects randomized to the online classroom attended the lectures in a location of their choice and viewed the sessions live on the Internet. A posttest examination was given to all candidates after completion of the course. Two sample unpaired t tests with equal variances were calculated for all pretests and posttests for all groups including gender differences. RESULTS: All 274 subjects demonstrated statistically significant learning by comparison of their pre- and posttest scores. There were no statistically significant differences in the test scores between the two groups of 137 subjects each (0.8%, 95% CI 85.45917-86.67952; P = 0.9195). A total of 101 males in the traditional classroom arm had statistically significant lower scores than 72 females (0.8%, 95% CI 84.65716-86.53096; P = 0.0377) but not in the online arm (0.8%, 95% CI 85.46172-87.23135; P = 0.2176) with a moderate effect size (Cohen's d = -0.407). CONCLUSION: The use of a synchronous online classroom in neuro-otology clinical training has demonstrated similar outcomes to the traditional classroom. The online classroom is a low cost and effective complement to medical specialty training in Neuro-Otology. The significant difference in outcomes between males and females who attended the traditional classroom suggests that women may do better than males in this learning environment, although the effect size is moderate. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT03079349.

IgG4-related disease presenting as panuveitis without scleral involvement.

BACKGROUND: The following case emphasizes the importance of including IgG4-related disease (RD) in the differential diagnosis of intraocular inflammation and multiple cranial nerve palsies. RESULTS: A 33-year-old man, with a history of idiopathic bilateral panuveitis, presented with a new right pupillary-sparing partial third nerve palsy, which spontaneously resolved in 2 weeks, but was followed 1 month later, by a right sixth nerve palsy, which also resolved within a few weeks. Motility disturbance was accompanied by a decrease in the central acuity in the right eye. Magnetic resonance imaging/angiography (MRI/MRA) demonstrated a densely enhancing osteodestructive skull base process extending through the cavernous sinus and into the right superior orbital fissure. Biopsy of the lesion was consistent with IgG4-related disease (RD). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first reported case of IgG4-RD associated panuveitis without scleral involvement, expanding the list of clinical manifestations of the IgG4-RD.

Aqueous Humor Cytokines in Patients With Acute Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy.

PURPOSE: To measure and compare the cytokine concentrations in the aqueous humor of patients with acute nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) and normal age-related cataract controls. DESIGN: Prospective, comparative observational study. METHODS: Aqueous humor samples were obtained in 10 patients with acute NAION (within 14 days of symptom onset) and 15 control patients with age-related cataract. The levels of 6 cytokines-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-2, IL-6, and IL-8-were determined using a multiplex bead immunoassay. The clinical characteristics of patients were also collected for correlation analysis. RESULTS: The mean concentration of VEGF (94.1 ± 40.4 pg/mL) was significantly higher in the NAION group compared to the cataract controls (52.2 ± 20.8 pg/mL; P = .010) and the mean concentration of IL-2 (5.56 ± 1.27 pg/mL) was significantly lower in the NAION group than in the cataract controls (16.6 ± 14.0 pg/mL; P = .002). There were no differences in the concentration of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, and IL-8. There was a strong negative correlation between the VEGF concentration and the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness at presentation (r = -0.657, P = .055). There was no significant correlation between the RNFL thickness and any other cytokines, the mean deviation on 24-2 Humphrey visual fields, or the duration of vision loss. CONCLUSIONS: Acute NAION is associated with higher VEGF and lower IL-2 concentrations without a change in other inflammatory cytokines. This has implications for future therapeutic interventions and diagnostic testing in patients with this acute optic neuropathy.

Bilateral congenital corneal anesthesia in a patient with SCN9A mutation, confirmed primary erythromelalgia, and paroxysmal extreme pain disorder.

The SCN9A gene codes for the sodium voltage-gated channel NaV 1.7. Gain of function mutations cause pain disorders such as primary erythromelalgia, paroxysmal extreme pain disorder, and small fiber neuropathy. Loss of function mutations lead to congenital insensitivity to pain. We report the case of a 6-year-old girl with a SCN9A mutation who presented with both gain of function and loss of function phenotypes, including congenital corneal anesthesia.

Boston keratoprosthesis type 1 device leak.

OBJECTIVE: To report a leak at the cornea-anterior front plate interface of the Boston keratoprosthesis type 1 (KPro) leading to hypotony. DESIGN: Retrospective interventional case series. PARTICIPANTS: Three patients (3 eyes) who experienced development of hypotony after Boston KPro type 1 implantation surgery at the Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal. METHODS: Medical records of the 3 patients at our institution were reviewed with regard to preoperative and postoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), digital intraocular pressure (IOP), time to diagnosis of hypotony, related complications, and the need for medical and surgical treatment. RESULTS: Pre-KPro BCVA ranged from counting fingers to light perception and improved to a mean of 20/100 in the operated eye. The incidence rate of leaks after KPro type 1 implantation was 2.7% (3 patients). The hypotony was noted at a mean of 13.7 months postoperatively. All patients had uveitis and vitritis preceding choroidal and retinal detachments, and required vitreoretinal surgeries for repair. In all patients, an objective leak through the cornea-anterior front plate interface of the KPro was seen intraoperatively by the vitreoretinal surgeon. Mean BCVA in these patients stabilized at 20/300 after the complication resolved, with a mean IOP of 10 mm Hg. CONCLUSIONS: Leak next to the KPro stem can occur after several months and can lead to significant visual loss. Prompt recognition and team management of this complication are required.