55 research outputs found
Equity and efficiency in healthcare: are they mutually exclusive?
No full textpublished_or_final_versio
大曆二家詩研究--以盧綸、李益為探討對象
No full text[[abstract]]本篇論文旨在討論唐朝大曆年間二位詩人--盧綸、李益的詩篇風格、特色，同時更進一步探討二家詩篇之異同，及其在文學史上之地位。全文共分六章。第一章﹕緒論。說明大曆十才子的成員，及敘述筆者研究動機、目的和範圍、方法。第二章﹕二家詩的時代背景。分析二家詩人所處的時代背景，和社會政治情勢。第三章﹕盧綸詩篇探究。此章分為三節﹕一為生平，二為內容分析，三為藝術技巧分析，藉由此三節分析說明，以探究盧綸詩篇之思想情意與藝術技巧之特色所在。第四章﹕李益詩篇探究。此章亦分為三﹕一為生平，二為內容分析，三為藝術技巧分析，由此三節分析說明，以探究李益詩篇之思想情意和藝術風格特色。第五章﹕二家詩篇之比較、評述與影響。由三、四章之二家詩篇內容、技巧分析，更進一步探究此二人同處於大曆時期，在詩篇內容、風格、技巧等方面的相同相異處。此外，歷來學者對二家詩篇之評論，及二家詩對後世文學之影響，亦一一闡明。第六章﹕結論，總括前說。
Is ophthalmology evidence based? A clinical audit of the emergency unit of a regional eye hospital
No full textAim: To evaluate the proportion of interventions that are evidence based in the acute care unit of a regional eye hospital. Methods: A prospective clinical audit was carried out at Hong Kong Eye Hospital in July 2002 to investigate the extent to which ophthalmic practices were evidence based. The major diagnosis and intervention provided were identified through chart review. A corresponding literature search using Medline and the Cochrane Library was performed to assess the degree to which each intervention was based on current, best evidence. Each diagnosis intervention pair was accordingly analysed and graded. The level of best, current evidence supporting each intervention was graded and analysed. Results: A total of 274 consecutive consultation episodes were examined. 22 cases were excluded since no diagnosis or intervention was made during the consultation. 108 (42.9%) patient interventions were found to be based on evidence from systematic reviews, meta-analyses, or randomised controlled trials (RCT). Evidence from prospective or retrospective observational studies supported the interventions in 86 (34.1%) patients. In 58 (23.0%) cases, no evidence or opposing evidence was found regarding the intervention. The proportion of evidence based on RCT or systematic reviews was higher for surgical interventions compared with non-surgical interventions (p=0.007). The proportion of interventions based on RCT or systematic reviews was higher for specialist ophthalmologists than trainee ophthalmologists (p=0.021). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the majority of interventions in the ophthalmic unit were evidence based and comparable to the experience of other specialties.published_or_final_versio
Results of trabeculectomy with adjunctive intraoperative mitomycin C in Chinese patients with glaucoma
No full textBACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To report the results of trabeculectomy with adjunctive intraoperative mitomycin C in Chinese patients with glaucoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The medical records of Chinese patients who received trabeculectomy with intraoperative mitomycin C from 1992 to 1998 were retrospectively reviewed. A "successful" trabeculectomy was defined as one after which the intraocular pressure (IOP) could be controlled to between 5 and 21 mm Hg, inclusive, with no more than 3 glaucoma medications. RESULTS: One hundred fourteen trabeculectomies in 105 eyes of 90 patients were retrospectively reviewed. Mean age ± standard deviation was 48.1 ± 21.9 years. Primary open-angle glaucoma (43.0%) and angle-closure glaucoma (27.2%) were the most common diagnoses leading to trabeculectomy. The mean follow-up ± standard deviation was 29.6 ± 18.6 months (range, 6 to 92 months). The overall success rate at the last follow-up was 73.7% (84 of 114 trabeculectomies). CONCLUSIONS: Trabeculectomy with mitomycin C is a safe and effective procedure for the control of IOP in Chinese patients with glaucoma.link_to_subscribed_fulltex
Impact of virtual reality simulation on learning barriers of phacoemulsification perceived by residents
No full textDanny Siu-Chun Ng,1 Zihan Sun,1 Alvin Lerrmann Young,1,2 Simon Tak-Chuen Ko,3 Jerry Ka-Hing Lok,1 Timothy Yuk-Yau Lai,1 Shameema Sikder,4 Clement C Tham1 1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2Department of Ophthalmology, Prince of Wales Hospital, 3Department of Ophthalmology, Tung Wah Eastern Hospital, Hong Kong, People’s Republic of China; 4Wilmer Eye Institute, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA Objective: To identify residents’ perceived barriers to learning phacoemulsification surgical procedures and to evaluate whether virtual reality simulation training changed these perceptions. Design: The ophthalmology residents undertook a simulation phacoemulsification course and proficiency assessment on the Eyesi system using the previously validated training modules of intracapsular navigation, anti-tremor, capsulorrhexis, and cracking/chopping. A cross-sectional, multicenter survey on the perceived difficulties in performing phacoemulsification tasks on patients, based on the validated International Council of Ophthalmology’s Ophthalmology Surgical Competency Assessment Rubric (ICO-OSCAR), using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = least and 5 = most difficulty), was conducted among residents with or without prior simulation training. Mann–Whitney U tests were carried out to compare the mean scores, and multivariate regression analyses were performed to evaluate the association of lower scores with the following potential predictors: 1) higher level trainee, 2) can complete phacoemulsification most of the time (>90%) without supervisor’s intervention, and 3) prior simulation training. Setting: The study was conducted in ophthalmology residency training programs in five regional hospitals in Hong Kong. Results: Of the 22 residents, 19 responded (86.3%), of which 13 (68.4%) had completed simulation training. Nucleus cracking/chopping was ranked highest in difficulty by all respondents followed by capsulorrhexis completion and nucleus rotation/manipulation. Respondents with prior simulation training had significantly lower difficulty scores on these three tasks (nucleus cracking/chopping 3.85 vs 4.75, P = 0.03; capsulorrhexis completion 3.31 vs 4.40, P = 0.02; and nucleus rotation/manipulation 3.00 vs 4.75, P = 0.01). In multivariate analyses, simulation training was significantly associated with lower difficulty scores on these three tasks. Conclusion: Residents who had completed Eyesi simulation training had higher confidence in performing the most difficult tasks perceived during phacoemulsification. Keywords: virtual reality, simulation surgical education, cataract surger
Retinal ganglion cells toxicity caused by photosensitising effects of intravitreal indocyanine green with illumination in rat eyes
No full textAim: To investigate the effects of indocyanine green (ICG) with or without illumination on rat retinal ganglion cells (RGC) and retinal morphology. Methods: Intravitreal injections of 1.0 mg/ml ICG solution were performed in rat eyes with or without subsequent illumination for 5 minutes. Eyes in the control group had intravitreal injections of balanced salt solution with illumination. Retrograde labelling of RGC with 6% Fluoro-Gold was performed 1 month later and RGC densities were compared between the three groups. Light microscopy with measurements of outer nuclear layer (ONL) and inner nuclear layer (INL) thicknesses were also performed and compared. Results: Eyes with ICG without illumination showed insignificant reduction in RGC density compared with the control group (p = 0.28), whereas a significant decrease in RGC density was found in eyes that had ICG injection with illumination (p = 0.036). A significant increase in ONL thickness was also observed in the ICG with illumination treated eyes compared with the ICG without illumination and the control groups (p<0.001). No significant difference in INL thickness was observed between the three groups. Conclusions: Intravitreal injection of 0.1 mg/ml ICG in rat eyes followed by illumination resulted in photosensitising toxicity to RGC. Lower ICG concentration or illumination level should be considered when performing ICG assisted macular surgery.published_or_final_versio
Ranibizumab for myopic choroidal neovascularization
No full textIntroduction:
Myopic choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is one of the most vision-threatening complications in patients with pathologic myopia. Over the last decade, anti-angiogenesis therapy with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents has become the standard-of-care treatment for myopic CNV and ranibizumab has been approved for treating myopic CNV.
Areas covered:
Review of preclinical studies and clinical trials data supporting the use of ranibizumab for myopic CNV. Discussion on the mechanisms, efficacy, safety, regulatory affairs, and future directions of ranibizumab for myopic CNV are highlighted.
Expert opinion:
Ranibizumab has demonstrated good efficacy and safety profile in multiple clinical trials and long-term studies for treating myopic CNV. Cost-effective analysis has shown that ranibizumab therapy is a cost-effective treatment for myopic CNV. Among the currently available anti-VEGF agents, ranibizumab is the only drug that is approved for the treatment of myopic CNV by the US Food and Drug Administration. In the coming few years, biosimilars of ranibizumab may become available and will have the potential to lower the cost of ranibizumab. Long-term visual gain after ranibizumab treatment for myopic CNV is limited by chorioretinal atrophy associated with pathologic myopia and further research is required to tackle the development of chorioretinal atrophy.link_to_subscribed_fulltex
Results of high-density silicone oil as a tamponade agent in macular hole retinal detachment in patients with high myopia
No full textBackground: To evaluate the use of high-density silicone oil (HDSO) as a tamponade agent for retinal detachment secondary to myopic macular hole. Methods: 12 eyes of 12 patients with macular hole retinal detachment underwent pars plana vitrectomy, internal limiting membrane peeling and HDSO tamponade. No posturing was required postoperatively and HDSO was removed 3-4 months later. Outcome measures included macular hole closure and retinal attachment rates, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and intraoperative and postoperative complications. Results: The mean age of the patients was 67.8 years and the mean spherical equivalent refractive error was -13.4 diopters. After the removal of HDSO, 10 (83%) eyes had macular hole closure with retinal reattachment without any tamponade. One eye had retinal reattachment after re-operation and the other refused further surgery. At the last follow-up, the median BCVA improved from 20/800 to 20/600 (p = 0.046). A transient increase in intraocular pressure was observed in 5 (42%) eyes and one eye each developed mild oil emulsification and transient peripheral choroidal detachment. None of the eyes was found to have severe intraocular inflammation post-operatively. Conclusions: HDSO seemed to be an effective tamponade agent for myopic macular hole retinal detachment. Further prospective controlled studies seem warranted.published_or_final_versio
How evidence-based are publications in clinical ophthalmic journals?
No full textPURPOSE. To evaluate the methodological quality and level of evidence of publications in four leading general clinical ophthalmology journals. METHODS. All 1919 articles published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology, Archives of Ophthalmology, British Journal of Ophthalmology, and Ophthalmology in 2004 were reviewed. The methodological rigor and the level of evidence in the articles were rated according to the McMaster Hedges Project criteria and the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine levels of evidence. RESULTS. Overall, 196 (24.4%) of the 804 publications that were included for assessment met the Hedges criteria. Articles on economics evaluation and those on prognosis achieved the highest passing rate, with 80.0% and 74.4% of articles, respectively, meeting the Hedges criteria. Publications on etiology, diagnosis, and treatment fared less well, with respective passing rates of 28.3%, 20.2%, and 14.7%. Published systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials were uncommon in the ophthalmic literature, at least in these four journals during 2004. According to the Oxford criteria, 57.6% of the articles were classified as level 4 evidence compared with 18.1% classified as level 1. Articles on prognosis had the highest proportion (43.0%) rated as level 1 evidence. Generally, articles that reached the Hedges threshold were rated higher on the level-of-evidence scale (Spermans ρ = 0.73; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS. The methodological quality of publications in the clinical ophthalmic literature was comparable to that in the literature of other specialties. There was substantial heterogeneity in quality between different types of articles. Future methodological improvements should focus on the areas identified as having the largest deficiencies. Copyright © Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.link_to_OA_fulltex
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