[Corticosteroids in giant cell arteritis: primum nil nocere?].

Background: Steroids are the treatment of choice for giant cell arteritis but bear the risk of serious side effects.

Patients And Methods: We carried out a retrospective study on 34 patients with documented giant cell arteritis (24 with ocular involvement) by means of a questionnaire sent to the treating physicians.

Results: After a mean follow-up of 48 months, side effects occurred in 90 % of the patients.

Magnification requirement after photodynamic therapy with verteporfin for subfoveal predominantly classic choroidal neovascularization due to age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To prospectively assess the magnification requirement after repeat photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin in patients with predominantly classic subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods: A total of 103 patients were treated for the first time with PDT between November 1999 and September 2002. These patients were followed up at 3-month intervals for a minimum of 12 months.

[Reading ability after photodynamic therapy (PDT) for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and for high myopia].

Background: A prospective uncontrolled follow-up of changes in reading ability after PDT with Verteporfin in patients with predominantly classic subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) due to AMD or high myopia was carried out.

Patients And Methods: A follow-up time of at least 6 months is documented for 48 patients with AMD and for 22 patients with high myopia. In addition to the usual clinical parameters the need for magnification was measured using standardized reading charts provided by the SZB.

Ocular pulse amplitude in a case of innominate steal syndrome.

Purpose: To report an inter-eye difference of the ocular pulse amplitude (OPA) in a case of innominate steal syndrome, as measured by recording applanation tonometry.

Methods: OPA was measured in a 49-year-old male before and after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of the innominate artery.

Results: Before dilation of the stenotic innominate artery, OPA was 2.

Optic neuropathy and central retinal artery occlusion in non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

We report a patient with systemic large cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma in remission who presented with the rare combination of optic neuropathy and central retinal artery occlusion. Another unusual feature of this case is the lack of enhancement in the affected region on magnetic resonance imaging only hours after the first dose of steroids. Despite prompt treatment with steroids and radiotherapy, lymphomatous infiltration of the meninges developed 2 months later and was ultimately fatal.

[Endocrine orbitopathy].

Dysthyroid orbitopathy is an autoimmune disorder usually occurring in the setting of Graves' disease. The pathogenesis is incompletely understood but involves autoantibodies against orbital tissue. The clinical course is highly variable.