Primary chronic angle-closure glaucoma in Chinese--a clinical exploration of its pathogenesis and natural course

Forty-three cases (86 eyes) of primary chronic angle-closure glaucoma were randomly selected. An additional 44 cases (77 eyes) of primary acute angle-closure glaucoma and 30 normal subjects (34 eyes) were also randomly enrolled as control groups for comparison in the clinical study. Ultrasonic biometric measurements of the anterior chamber depth, lens thickness and axial length of the eyeball were performed. Using an potic microgauge attached to the slit-lamp, the entrance of anterior chamber angle was also calculated. The clinical manifestations and the natural course, including the characteristic appearance of anterior chamber angle, the form of peripheral anterior synechia as well as the facility of outflow, were carefully investigated. There were significant differences in the biometric parameters of the anterior segment of eye among above three groups. The facts reveal that the anatomic features of eyeball, especially in the anterior segment differentiate from those of primary acute angle-closure glaucoma. Follow-up study for the early stage cases showed that topical administration of miotics and/or peripheral iridectomy can effectively prevent iris from forming peripheral anterior synechia and thus halt its development. The criteria of diagnosis and the principles of prevention and treatment at the early stage cases were presented. The pathogenesis was discussed. We emphasized that the progressive stage after intermittent attacks of primary acute angle-closure glaucoma should not be confused with primary chronic angle-closure glaucoma.

[Immunological identification of tiger-bone]

Anti-tiger sera were prepared by using tiger serum proteins to immunize the rabbits. Tiger-bone can be identified by the specific serological reaction between the anti-tiger sera and the tiger-bone proteins.

[Effect of pituitrin or phentolamine alone or in combination on WHVP and systemic hemodynamics in patients with liver cirrhosis]

We observed the effect of pituitrin and phentolamine alone or in combination on wedged hepatic venous pressure (WHVP) and systemic hemodynamics in 28 patients with cirrhosis. The results showed that either of these drugs used separately could lead to reduction in WHVP, each of them could also cause by-effects on systemic hemodynamics. When pituitrin in combination with phentolamine was administered, no change could be found in inferior vena cava pressure, mean arterial pressure, pulse rate and cardiac index. This suggested that pituitrin in combination with phentolamine could not only efficaciously decrease WHVP, but also counteract side effects on systemic hemodynamics of each other and improve hepatic microcirculation. Our study provided evidence for the usefulness of the combination of the two drugs in controlling bleeding from esophagus varices.