Interventions to retard myopia progression in children: an evidence-based update.

Topic: To evaluate the efficacy of interventions such as eyedrops, bifocal lenses, or contact lenses in retarding the progression of myopia in myopic children.

Clinical Relevance: Myopia is a common ocular disorder, and high myopia (myopia at least -6.0 diopters) is associated with potentially blinding conditions.

Nearwork in early-onset myopia.

Purpose: To determine the relationship of nearwork and myopia in young elementary school-age children in Singapore.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of 1005 school children aged 7 to 9 years was conducted in two schools in Singapore. Cycloplegic autorefraction, keratometry, and biometry measurements were performed.

Corneal and refractive error astigmatism in Singaporean schoolchildren: a vector-based Javal's rule.

Background: Traditional approaches to Javal's rule do not use data from subjects with oblique astigmatism and have not been used to make predictions about subjects with oblique astigmatism. Vector approaches to analyzing refractive error can circumvent these problems.

Methods: Subjects were 993 Singaporean schoolchildren.

Injury and repair of ligaments and tendons.

In this chapter, biomechanical methods used to analyze healing and repair of ligaments and tendons are initially described such that the tensile properties of these soft tissues as well as their contribution to joint motion can be determined. The focus then turns to the important mechanical and biological factors that improve the healing process of ligaments. The biomechanics of surgical reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament and the key surgical parameters that affect the performance of the replacement grafts are subsequently reviewed.

A population-based prevalence survey of skin diseases in adolescents and adults in rural Sumatra, Indonesia, 1999.

Skin disorders are one of the most common presenting health problems and pose a considerable public health problem in developing and developed countries. A population-based survey (n = 917) was conducted in October and November 1999 to determine the prevalence of skin diseases in 3 rural villages in Indonesia (Riau province, Sumatra). The overall individual response rate was 96%.

Familial clustering and myopia progression in Singapore school children.

Background: Familial factors may be related to the progression of myopia in children. A cohort study was conducted to determine the relationship between familial factors and myopia progression in children.

Methods: From a larger clinical trial (n = 311), 153 Singapore children aged 6--12 years were recruited to participate in a cohort study of the risk factors for myopia progression.

Academic achievement, close up work parameters, and myopia in Singapore military conscripts.

Aim: To determine the relation of refractive error to environmental factors, including close up work, in Singapore military conscripts.

Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted on 429 Singapore military conscripts. Non-cycloplegic refraction and A-scan biometry were performed in both eyes.

Hip fracture incidence rates in Singapore 1991-1998.

In this population-based study, we determined the incidence rates of hip fracture among Singapore residents aged 50 years and above. Information was obtained from a centralized database system which captured admissions with the primary diagnosis of a closed hip fracture (ICD-9 codes 820, 820.0, 820.

The design and assessment of questionnaires in clinical research.

Questionnaires are one of the most commonly used tools for data collection in clinical research. Despite its simplicity and convenience of use, the design of questionnaire instruments that accurately measure health status and their determinants is nevertheless a difficult and challenging task.We review the two most important issues which are reliability and validity.

Myopia in Singapore kindergarten children.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine whether close-up work was related to myopia in Singapore kindergarten children.

Methods: One hundred twenty-eight children, ages 3 to 7 years, from a kindergarten in Singapore were examined by cycloplegic autorefraction. The parents also completed a questionnaire on the different types of close-up work activities each child was engaged in, socioeconomic status, and parental history of myopia.

Near-work activity and myopia in rural and urban schoolchildren in China.

Purpose: To examine the prevalence of myopia in rural and urban schoolchildren in Xiamen, China, and to assess the impact of environmental factors on rates of myopia.

Methods: Second-grade children attending either a city (n=119) or rural (n=91) school in Xiamen, China, were examined using cycloplegic autorefraction and biometry. Detailed questions on socioeconomic status, near-work activity, reading and writing habits, and family histories of myopia were asked in a face-to-face interview using a standard questionnaire.

Does education explain ethnic differences in myopia prevalence? A population-based study of young adult males in Singapore.

Purpose: To study interethnic variation in myopia prevalence and severity in young adult males in Singapore and to determine whether these variations are related to differences in education level.

Methods: A population-based survey of refractive errors in a cohort of 15,095 military conscripts between July 1996 and June 1997 using noncycloplegic autorefraction and a standard questionnaire. Prevalence rates of myopia (<-0.

Myopia and night lighting in children in Singapore.

Aim: To examine the role of night time lighting and myopia in children in Singapore

Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted on 1001 children in two Singapore schools. Cycloplegic refraction and A-scan biometry measurements were made in both eyes. A detailed questionnaire was completed by the parents to obtain information on night time lighting, near work activity, educational and demographic factors.

The incidence of hip fracture in four Asian countries: the Asian Osteoporosis Study (AOS).

The Asian Osteoporosis Study (AOS) is the first multicenter study to document and compare the incidence of hip fracture in four Asian countries. Hosital discharge data for the year 1997 were obtained for the Hong Kong SAR, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand (Chiang Mai). The number of patients who were 50 years of age and older and who were discharged with a diagnosis of hip fracture (ICD9 820) was enumerated.

Urine laminin and kallikrein, markers of tubulointerstitial damage in experimental protein overload on pre-existing renal damage.

We studied the response of urinary protein overload on preexisting tubulointerstitial nephritis (TIN), which was induced in male Sprague Dawley rats by hexachloro-1,3-butadiene (HCBD). Five days after the development of TIN, puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN) was administered to induce urinary protein overload. Urinary laminin and kallikrein were measured.

Risk factors for hip fracture in Asian men and women: the Asian osteoporosis study.

The objectives of the Asian Osteoporosis Study (AOS) were to determine risk factors for hip fracture in men and women in four Asian countries, that is, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines. A total of 451 men and 725 women (aged 50 years and over) with hip fractures were compared with an equal number of community controls. A standardized questionnaire was administered by interview.

Cross-sectional study of near-work and myopia in kindergarten children in Singapore.

Introduction: In view of the high and increasing myopia rates amongst young Singaporean children, we aimed to assess the relationship between near-work and myopia in 414 pre-school children aged 4 to 6 years.

Materials And Methods: We measured near-work indices such as tuition classes outside school and other possible risk factors via a questionnaire. We then measured myopia with a hand-held autorefractor.

Age-related reference intervals for free and total prostate-specific antigen in a Singaporean population.

Cancer of the prostate is the sixth most frequently found cancer in Singapore. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is the most clinically useful tumour marker available today for the diagnosis and management of prostate cancer. To enhance the value of PSA as a screening test we developed age-specific intervals for our ethnic population.

Genetic, dietary, and other lifestyle determinants of plasma homocysteine concentrations in middle-aged and older Chinese men and women in Singapore.

Background: Epidemiologic studies have identified the plasma homocysteine concentration as a risk factor for atherothrombotic vascular disease. There is little information on the distributions and determinants of homocysteine concentrations in Asian populations.

Objective: The present study was designed to examine the relations between genetic and lifestyle factors and plasma homocysteine concentrations among Chinese in Singapore.

Clinical drug trials: practical problems of phase III.

Introduction: Phase III randomised clinical trials provide the highest level of evidence to support the superior effectiveness of a new drug or therapy. The main practical problems encountered in the initiation, design, conduct and completion of both investigator-initiated and sponsor-initiated phase III clinical drug trials will be reviewed.

Methods: A Medline search of clinical drug trials conducted in Singapore as well as journal articles highlighting important methodological considerations and practical problems encountered in phase III clinical trials was performed.

Factors related to the progression of myopia in Singaporean children.

Purpose: To examine the possible factors related to the progression of myopia in Singapore children.

Methods: One hundred fifty-three Singapore children aged 6 to 12 years were recruited to participate in a concurrent cohort study of the risk factors for the progression of myopia. Socioeconomic status, outdoor activity, and near-work activity were documented in a face-to-face clinic interview.

Temporal variations in myopia progression in Singaporean children within an academic year.

Purpose: Excessive nearwork is believed to be associated with myopia development and progression. To investigate this further, we studied refractive error changes and their correlation with nearwork in a cohort of grade school children in Singapore.

Methods: Cycloplegic autorefraction was performed 5 times over 10 months on 168 children aged 7, 9, and 12 years who were further divided into myopic and nonmyopic subgroups based in their initial refractive errors.

Myopia: gene-environment interaction.

Introduction: Myopia has reached epidemic proportions in Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. This review summarises the evidence for environmental and genetic factors as well as gene-environment interaction for myopia for both epidemiologic studies as well as animal models.

Methods: A literature review was conducted after a Medline search on articles on the genetic or environmental aetiology of myopia in animal or epidemiologic studies.