Impact of a School Trachoma Program Emphasizing Facial Cleanliness and Environmental Improvement in Amhara, Ethiopia.

The SAFE (Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial cleanliness, Environmental improvement) strategy is the WHO's endorsed approach for eliminating trachoma as a public health problem; however, not all components have been treated equally. Historically, the F and E components have not been prioritized owing to their perceived complexity. With school enrollment increasing in Ethiopia, development of a national school health program that is focused on the F and E components represents an opportunity to strengthen the SAFE strategy in the country.

Association between Quality of Life and Visual Acuity in a Randomized Clinical Trial of Patients with Uveitis Taking Antimetabolites.

Purpose: To evaluate how changes in visual acuity are associated with changes in quality of life (QoL) among patients with non-infectious uveitis taking antimetabolites.

Methods: This secondary analysis of the multicenter First-line Antimetabolites as Steroid-sparing Treatment (FAST) Uveitis Trial involves 216 participants randomized to methotrexate or mycophenolate mofetil. Vision-related (NEI-VFQ and IND-VFQ) and health-related (PCS and MCS SF-36v2) QoL and visual acuity were measured at baseline and 6-month primary endpoint.

Outcomes of Uveitic Macular Edema in the First-line Antimetabolites as Steroid-Sparing Treatment Uveitis Trial.

Purpose: To evaluate the outcomes of uveitic macular edema at 6 and 12 months in patients treated with methotrexate or mycophenolate mofetil.

Design: Subanalysis of a block-randomized, observer-masked, multicenter clinical trial.

Participants: Patients were enrolled in the First-line Antimetabolites as Steroid-sparing Treatment (FAST) Uveitis Trial between August 2013 and August 2017.

The population-based prevalence of trachomatous scarring in a trachoma hyperendemic setting: results from 152 impact surveys in Amhara, Ethiopia.

Background: Trachomatous scarring (TS) results from repeated infection with the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. Pronounced scarring is an underlying cause of trachomatous trichiasis (TT) that can lead to blindness. Since the condition is irreversible, TS in adults has been considered a marker of past exposure to trachoma infection.

Health- and Vision-Related Quality of Life in a Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Methotrexate and Mycophenolate Mofetil for Uveitis.

Purpose: To evaluate changes in health-related and vision-related quality of life (VRQoL) among patients with noninfectious uveitis who were treated with antimetabolites.

Design: Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.

Participants: Patients with noninfectious uveitis from India, the United States, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and Mexico.

Discontinuing adalimumab in patients with controlled juvenile idiopathic arthritis-associated uveitis (ADJUST-Adalimumab in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis-associated Uveitis Stopping Trial): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)-associated uveitis is a chronic paediatric ocular inflammatory condition that can result in visual impairment. Adalimumab, a tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha inhibitor, effectively controls joint and eye inflammation; however, its long-term use may increase the risk of adverse health outcomes and place an undue financial burden on the patient and healthcare system given its high cost. There is great interest for patients to stop adalimumab following remission due to these reasons but there is a lack of information on the ability to maintain control after discontinuing adalimumab.

Herpes Zoster and Postherpetic Neuralgia: Changing Incidence Rates From 1994 to 2018 in the United States.

Background: The incidence of herpes zoster (HZ) has been increasing in recent decades. Although 2 vaccines for HZ are available, there have been few studies on the incidence rates of HZ and postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) since their introduction. This study examined the incidence rates of HZ and PHN from 1994 to 2018 in the United States to determine if they have continued to increase since introduction of the HZ vaccines.

Effect of Corticosteroid-Sparing Treatment With Mycophenolate Mofetil vs Methotrexate on Inflammation in Patients With Uveitis: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Methotrexate and mycophenolate mofetil are commonly used immunomodulatory therapies for achieving corticosteroid-sparing control of noninfectious uveitis, but there is uncertainty about which drug is more effective.

Objective: To compare the effect of methotrexate and mycophenolate for achieving corticosteroid-sparing control of noninfectious intermediate uveitis, posterior uveitis, and panuveitis.

Design, Setting, And Participants: The First-line Antimetabolites as Steroid-sparing Treatment (FAST) uveitis trial screened 265 adults with noninfectious uveitis requiring corticosteroid-sparing immunosuppressive therapy from 9 referral eye centers in India, the United States, Australia, Saudi Arabia, and Mexico between August 22, 2013, and August 16, 2017.

Population coverage and factors associated with participation following a mass drug administration of azithromycin for trachoma elimination in Amhara, Ethiopia.

Objectives: Mass drug administration (MDA) with azithromycin is a core component of the WHO-recommended strategy to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem, but low participation rates in MDA campaigns may undermine the effectiveness of this intervention. We explored factors associated with individual MDA participation at the individual, head of household and household levels in Amhara, Ethiopia.

Methods: We conducted four district-level, multilevel cluster random coverage surveys to collect data on self-reported MDA participation and predictors.