Cataract surgery in Fuchs' heterochromic iridocyclitis.

Eighteen eyes in 17 patients with Fuchs' heterochromic iridocyclitis underwent cataract extraction with or without intraocular lens implantation (17 extracapsular and one intracapsular). Intraoperative complications included hyphaema, poor pupillary dilatations, and localised zonule dehiscence with vitreous loss. Only four eyes developed a marked anterior uveitus (two pseudophakic and two aphakic) which resolved within 2 weeks with topical steroids.

Femoral head blood flow in femoral neck fractures. An analysis using intra-osseous pressure measurement.

We studied 50 patients with fractures of the femoral neck, 33 intracapsular and 17 extracapsular. Intraosseous pressure was measured by a transducer within the bone to quantify blood flow, and intracapsular pressure by a needle introduced into the joint space. The mean intracapsular pressure was lower in the extracapsular fractures.

Salt restriction, a sceptic's viewpoint.

In the light of the proposal that dietary salt intake should be reduced as a community health care measure designed to lower blood pressure and consequently mortality and morbidity from stroke and heart disease, the evidence that there is a link between salt intake and blood pressure is reviewed. In addition the effects of salt restriction on mild hypertension are surveyed as is the feasibility of sustaining a community-based campaign to reduce salt intake. It is concluded that whilst it would be possible to mount a concerted health care programme directed towards lowering the salt intake of the general population the benefits in terms of blood pressure would be extremely small.

Academic selection criteria and subsequent performance.

In this paper we have attempted to determine if there are any aspects of the academic history of a student, prior to admission to the University of Leicester medical course, that correlate with his or her subsequent performance in that course. The analyses presented suggest that a student's overall performance in GCE O- and A-level examinations correlates with subsequent performance at various stages of the medical course. In addition, there is a correlation between performance in the medical course and performance in A-level chemistry and biology but not mathematics, physics or general studies.

The prevalence of age related cataract in the Asian community in Leicester: a community based study.

A community based ophthalmic survey has been carried out in the city of Leicester. Samples of Asians and Caucasians aged 40 years and over were randomly selected from the patients of four general practitioners and invited to have an ophthalmic examination. After adjustment for age, the prevalence rate of age-related cataract was significantly higher in the Asians when compared to the Caucasians.

The demand incidence of cataract in Asian immigrants to Britain and their descendants.

Cataract is known to be more common in India than it is in the industrialised world, but there is little evidence to show whether people emigrating from India will continue to have a high incidence of the disease. Data have been collected from the outpatient clinics of a hospital in Leicester, England, that suggest that for people aged over 45 the demand incidence of cataract is more than five times higher in people of Indian descent than it is in the indigenous population. As well as measuring the demand incidence of cataract in Leicester's two main racial groups the data are used to investigate other risk factors.

Biochemical studies on the release of catecholamines from the rat carotid body in vitro.

The effects of hypoxia and carbachol on the release of newly synthesized catecholamines from superfused rat carotid bodies have been examined. Hypoxic superfusion medium was found to evoke catecholamine release which was dependent on the extracellular calcium concentration and was reduced by nitrendipine and atropine. Superfusion with the muscarinic agonist, carbachol, stimulated catecholamine release independently of the oxygen tension of the medium.

Validation of a photographic method of measuring corneal diameter.

A photographic method for measuring corneal diameter using the Medical-Nikkor f200 mm lens is described. Measurements were compared with those obtained by calipers (46 eyes of 25 patients) and by placing a ruler either near the eye (123 eyes of 64 patients) or on the nose (98 eyes of 55 patients). Over all we found good correlation between photographic and caliper measurements (r = 0.

Recent trends in the registration of blindness and partial sight in Leicestershire.

A study is reported of all new registrations for blindness and partial sight in the county of Leicestershire, England, for the years 1965, 1975, and 1985. The number of new registrations for blindness has risen considerably over this period, but the increase is shown to be attributable to changes in the age structure of the population and under-registration in 1965. The number of new registrations for partial sight has also increased over the study period but by significantly more than would be expected, even after changes in the population structure are allowed for.