The cataract situation in Suriname: an effective intervention programme to increase the cataract surgical rate in a developing country.

Aims: To provide an overview of cataract data in Suriname and to describe and evaluate a programme to control cataract blindness in a developing country.

Design: Evaluation of hospital data and findings from a population-based cross-sectional survey.

Methods: The implementation of a new cataract surgical intervention programme was described and retrospectively evaluated by analysing the number of cataract operations and other related indicators at the Suriname Eye Centre (SEC) in the period 2006-2014.

Epidemiology and aetiology of childhood ocular trauma in the Republic of Suriname.

Purpose: To describe the epidemiology and aetiology of ocular trauma in school-aged children who previously visited the Suriname Eye Centre (SEC) of the Academic Hospital Paramaribo.

Methods: In a hospital-based retrospective study, all cases of children who were school aged (8-15 years) at the time of the survey and previously underwent evaluation and/or treatment at the SEC because of ocular trauma were analysed. Demographic and ophthalmologic data were taken out of patient records; eye injuries were classified using the Birmingham Eye Trauma Terminology classification system.

Diabetes and diabetic retinopathy in people aged 50 years and older in the Republic of Suriname.

Background/aims: Population-based surveys on diabetes and diabetic retinopathy (DR) are necessary to increase awareness and develop screening and therapeutic programmes. The aim was to estimate the prevalence of DR in older adults of different ethnic backgrounds in Suriname.

Methods: Fifty clusters of 60 people aged ≥50 years were randomly selected with a probability proportional to the size of the population unit.

[A man with fever and a periorbital swelling].

We report a 44-year-old man with a diagnosis of right-sided periorbital cellulitis caused by a group A β-hemolytic streptococcus who developed severe eyelid necrosis. After intravenous antibiotic treatment and necrotomy, reconstructive eyelid surgery was needed.

[The multidisciplinary guideline 'Diagnosis and treatment of people with whiplash-associated disorder I or II'].

A multidisciplinary guideline for the intake and treatment of whiplash patients has been developed with regard to the impact of whiplash on public health and social security. This guideline is restricted to uncomplicated whiplash, which is defined as the sudden acceleration and deceleration of the skull with energy transfer to the neck without neurological sequelae or fractures. In whiplash victims who are not alert, have pain of the neck, diminished cervical mobility or pain on palpation of the cervical vertebrae, an X ray of the cervical spine should be carried out to exclude fractures.

[Diagnosis of vegetative state as a basis for medical treatment on the borderline between life and death].

The term 'vegetative state' is most appropriate for the state which develops when patients open their eyes after a comatose phase, without regaining consciousness. The definition and the diagnostic criteria from the Multi Society Task Force on Persistent Vegetative State are usable for the clinical practice in the Netherlands. The vegetative state must be differentiated from coma, locked-in syndrome and minimally conscious state.

Acute behavioural disturbances related to imaging studies and outcome in mild-to-moderate head injury.

The frequency of behavioural disturbances early after injury in relation to outcome was prospectively investigated in a series of 67 patients with mild-to-moderate head injury (as defined by GCS on admission). In more than half of the patients, behavioural disturbances were observed. Restlessness occurred in 40% of patients, whereas agitation was seen in 19% of patients.

Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in mild to moderate head injury: early and late imaging related to outcome.

Serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomographic (CT) studies were performed in mild to moderate head injury to evaluate whether early and late imaging have additional value in predicting outcome in this category of patients. During 1-year follow-up of a series of 67 patients, a CT scan on admission was performed together with MRI studies within 1 to 3 months and 6 to 12 months after injury. With CT, intracranial lesions were seen in 62% of patients compared with 44% with early and 19% with late MRI, located predominantly in the frontal and temporal regions.

One year outcome in mild to moderate head injury: the predictive value of acute injury characteristics related to complaints and return to work.

Objectives: To determine the prognostic value of characteristics of acute injury and duration of post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) for long term outcome in patients with mild to moderate head injury in terms of complaints and return to work.

Methods: Patients with a Glasgow coma score (GCS) on admission of 9-14 were included. Post-traumatic amnesia was assessed prospectively.

Lightning stroke and neuropsychological impairment: cases and questions.

Objective: To objectify neuropsychological impairments in survivors of lightning stroke with lasting complaints about poor concentration and inability to divide their attention.

Design: A series of six cases of lightning stroke were studied. All patients had lost consciousness and reported amnesia of varying length.

Co-registration of PET and MRI in different courses of MS using Cobalt-55 as a Calcium-tracer.

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an auto-immune central nervous system (CNS) inflammation. At this moment, MRI is the most accurate paraclinical test in MS to monitor disease activity, although poorly correlated with clinical impairment. PET using Co-55 as a Ca-tracer may visualize Co-transport across the neuronal membrane, Ca-mediated inflammatory processes and passive leakage through a breach in the blood-brain barrier.

Positron emission tomography in primary brain tumours using cobalt-55.

Primary brain tumours are usually assessed by computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), sometimes in conjunction with positron emission tomography (PET). We used cobalt-55 (55Co) as a calcium (Ca) tracer to visualize decaying tumour tissue, based on the fact that Ca-influx is essential in both cell death and leukocyte activation. Net 55Co uptake may be the result of cell decay, leukocyte infiltration, (re)perfusion and the pharmacological profile of 55Co.

Cobalt-55 positron emission tomography in ischemic stroke.

After acute cerebral stroke, the (peri-) infarct tissue is characterized by calcium (Ca)-mediated neuronal damage and inflammatory processes. Monitoring Ca-mediated damage using the isotope cobalt-55 (Co) as a Ca-tracer may enable PET-imaging of this tissue. Since the fate of (peri-) infarct tissue determines clinical outcome, Co-PET may have prognostic value in stroke.

The effect of gonadectomy on the clinical course of chronic experimental allergic encephalomyelitis.

Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an animal model for the human neurological disease multiple sclerosis (MS). Upon immunization with guinea pig spinal cord under a low dose of Cyclosporin A, male Lewis rats develop a severe chronic (relapsing) course of EAE (CR-EAE). By contrast, female Lewis rats develop a more mitigated course of EAE: only half of the female rats develop relapses.

The fronto-temporal component in mild and moderately severe head injury.

The history of the identification of the so-called (fronto-)temporal lobe contusion is reviewed. Treatment of minor head injuries actually starts with the right diagnosis. Injuries of the temporal lobe, characterized by a comparatively long period of post-traumatic amnesia should be distinguished from minor head injuries (cerebral concussion).

Cobalt-55 positron emission tomography in traumatic brain injury: a pilot study.

Traumatic brain injury is usually assessed with the Glasgow coma scale (GCS), CT, or MRI. After such injury, the injured brain tissue is characterised by calcium mediated neuronal damage and inflammation. Positron emission tomography with the isotope cobalt-55 (Co-PET) as a calcium tracer enables imaging of affected tissue in traumatic brain injury.

Cobalt-55 positron emission tomography in relapsing-progressive multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated disease of the white matter in the brain that can have a progressive course. However, the progression of relapsing-remitting (RR) MS into relapsing-progressive (RP) MS might represent a more fundamental change in disease activity, i.e.

Cobalt-57 SPET in relapsing-progressive multiple sclerosis: a pilot study.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is predominantly a progressive immune-mediated disease of the white matter in the brain. We used single photon emission tomography (SPET) and cobalt-57 (57Co) as a calcium (Ca) analogue to visualize brain tissue damage, based on the fact that Ca influx occurs in both cell death and T-lymphocyte activation in MS. The aim of this study was to determine if 57Co-SPET detects MS lesions and, if so, to compare this with clinical data on the patient.

A study of multiple sclerosis patients with magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging.

Eleven patients with clinically definite MS and three healthy controls were investigated by magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging. The data sets were analysed for all voxels containing white matter only. We classify these voxels in healthy controls as normal white matter (NWM), and in MS patients as normal-appearing white matter unaffected by MS lesions (NAWM) or white matter affected by MS lesions.

Correlation between magnetic resonance imaging and clinical parameters in multiple sclerosis.

In this study, the course of 60 consecutive multiple sclerosis patients (relapsing-remitting (RR), relapsing-progressive (RP), primary-progressive (PP)) was compared with the number and mean size of the lesions as well as the total load of the lesions as shown on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Significant differences were found between RR and RP patients in total load and number of lesions. Between RR and PP patients statistical significant differences were found in total load, number and size of the lesions when correlated with EDSS.