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Ophthalmological examination of patients taking chloroquine

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Abstract

EOGs have been routinely measured once a year in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated with chloroquine derivatives.

Criterion for the advice to stop the treatment was a decrease in the EOG of more than 20% of the value obtained before treatment was started or, where this value had not been determined, a decrease in the EOG to below 1.85, i.e. the Arden criterion.

Evaluating the results, it appears that in RA patients, examined once a year, the variability of the EOG is approximately 30% of the value obtained. Furthermore, instead of a lower limit for the normal value of 1.85, we found in the rheumatism group 1.6. If these new criteria were to be applied, less than 4% of the patients would be advised to stop chloroquine treatment. We wonder whether check-ups of these patients remain necessary when dosage of chloroquine or its equivalent is below 75 g per year.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Eye Departments, Universities of Leyden and Rotterdam, Leyden/Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    H. S. Graniewski-Wijnands, G. H. M. Van Lith & S. Vijfvinkel-Bruinenga

Authors
  1. H. S. Graniewski-Wijnands
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  2. G. H. M. Van Lith
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  3. S. Vijfvinkel-Bruinenga
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Graniewski-Wijnands, H.S., Van Lith, G.H.M. & Vijfvinkel-Bruinenga, S. Ophthalmological examination of patients taking chloroquine. Doc Ophthalmol 48, 231–234 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00141446

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