Disease relevance of Xerophthalmia

• The degree of cellular autolysis and stromal degradation observed histologically in early stages of xerophthalmia and in ulcerating corneas in vitamin A deficient rabbits in this study were, in general, proportional to the levels of the proteases studied [1].
• The prevalence of night blindness during pregnancy tends to be high in countries where the prevalence of xerophthalmia in children is high and in countries where interventions are in place to reduce childhood vitamin A deficiency [2].
• We measured parasitemia, mortality, serum retinol, liver retinol, spleen weight, and degree of xerophthalmia in vitamin A-deficient rats (A-), pair-fed control rats (A+PF), and ad libitum-fed control rats (A+AL) infected with Plasmodium berghei, a rodent malarial parasite [3].
• There is a close synergism between measles and vitamin A deficiency that can result in xerophthalmia, with corneal ulceration, keratomalacia, and subsequent corneal scarring or phthisis bulbi [4].
• OBJECTIVE: Bromhexine has been reported to alleviate the xerostomia and xerophthalmia associated with secondary Sjögren's syndrome [5].

High impact information on Xerophthalmia

• Oral administration of vitamin A is not only more practical but appears to be just as effective as parenteral administration in the treatment of severe xerophthalmia [6].
• A nutrition rehabilitation centre for treatment of children with xerophthalmia was established in Madurai, India. Treatment was based on provision of locally available food, rich in protein and beta-carotene and cheap enough for the families concerned to buy at home [7].
• Preschool children, 3-6 y of age, with (n = 118) and without (n = 118) xerophthalmia were assigned to receive oral vitamin A (60 mg retinol equivalent) or placebo and were seen at 5 wk [8].
• RESULTS: At baseline, alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein (AGP) was elevated in 42.9% and 23.5% (P < 0.003) and C-reactive protein (CRP) was elevated in 17.7% and 13.7% (NS) of children with and without xerophthalmia, respectively [8].
• But until recently clinicians were almost wholly absorbed by the ocular changes accompanying deficiency (xerophthalmia), and scientists with the vitamin's metabolic role in the rhodopsin cycle [9].

Chemical compound and disease context of Xerophthalmia

• Curing early xerophthalmia without vitamin A concentrate [10].
• Hyporetinolemia (retinol < 0.7 micromol/L) occurred in 61.0% and 47.4% (P < 0.04) of children with and without xerophthalmia, respectively [8].
• Rose Bengal and Lissamine green vital stains: useful diagnostic aids for early stages of xerophthalmia [11]?
• The monosodium glutamate fortification was the only intervention that resulted both in a significant reduction in clinical signs of xerophthalmia and in a significant rise in serum vitamin A levels [12].
• These data suggest that linear and ponderal growth is adversely affected by chronic and incident xerophthalmia, but that catch-up ponderal growth is experienced by children recovering from xerophthalmia [13].

Biological context of Xerophthalmia

• The epidemiology of vitamin A deficiency and xerophthalmia [14].
• CONCLUSIONS: Xerophthalmia and vitamin A deficiency are public health problems in western Yemen [15].

Anatomical context of Xerophthalmia

• Goblet cell response to vitamin A treatment for corneal xerophthalmia [16].
• Vitamin A is required for the normal growth maintenance and maturation of the corneal epithelium and is effective in the treatment of xerophthalmia and experimental corneal epithelial wounds when applied topically as retinoic acid [17].

Gene context of Xerophthalmia

• Vitamin A activity of buriti (Mauritia vinifera Mart) and its effectiveness in the treatment and prevention of xerophthalmia [18].
• There was no functional or radiological difference between the RA-BR and RA groups, and except for xerophthalmia, which was more common in patients with RA-BR than patients with RA, there was no difference in extra-articular or laboratory features [19].
• In SLE anti-Ro is associated with xerophthalmia but not rheumatoid factor (RF) [20].
• Xerophthalmia and anterior-segment blindness among preschool-age children in El Salvador [21].
• Anti-RNP antibodies alone correlated with the presence of Raynaud's phenomenon and arthritis (P < 0.001 and P < 0.01, respectively), while anti-Ro/SSA antibodies alone correlated with xerostomia and xerophthalmia (P < 0.01) [22].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of Xerophthalmia

• A prevalence study of vitamin A deficiency and xerophthalmia in northeastern Thailand [23].
• METHODS: An Intervention study of mass distribution of vitamin A solution was undertaken to control widespread xerophthalmia prevalent in children living in about 26 slums of Chandigarh in the year 2000 [24].
• 5. Vital staining by 1% rose bengal or 1% lissamine green appears to be a real asset for the early diagnosis of xerophthalmia in Health Centres and in field surveys [25].

References