Longitudinal correlation of thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin with clinical activity of disease in thyroid-associated orbitopathy.

Purpose: To investigate the possible correlation between the changes in inflammatory active phase of thyroid-associated orbitopathy (TAO) with measured changes in thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI) levels over time. This study was undertaken to evaluate the potential usefulness of measured TSI values in following and treating patients with TAO.

Methods: A retrospective chart analysis was performed on 23 patients who had been referred to a tertiary care oculoplastics service between July of 2002 and April of 2004 with suspected TAO.

Feasibility of eliminating ocular Chlamydia trachomatis with repeat mass antibiotic treatments.

Context: Mass antibiotic administrations for ocular chlamydial infection play a key role in the World Health Organization's trachoma control program. Mathematical models suggest that it is possible to eliminate trachoma locally with repeat mass treatment, depending on the coverage level of the population, frequency of mass treatments, and rate that infection returns into a community after each mass treatment. Precise estimates of this latter parameter have never been reported.