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Anomalous intraocular pressure changes in Chagas' disease elicited by postural test

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Abstract

We compared the effects of postural changes on intraocular pressure, systemic blood pressure, and pupil size with and without induced mydriasis in 15 chronic chagasic patients and 20 healthy age-matched controls.

The chagasic patients showed a marked fall in intraocular pressure on rising. However, systemic systolic blood pressure changes and pupil size in patients did not differ from those measured in controls.

Our findings may be explained by an alteration in the autonomic ocular system that regulates homeostasis of ocular pressure and the probable existence of a baroreceptor arc-reflex that restores the equilibrium of sudden changes in the intraocular pressure.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fundación VER, Córdoba, Argentina

    José D. Luna, Emma E. Sonzini, Hugo D. Díaz & Claudio P. Juárez

  2. Research Department, Centro Privado de Medicina, Córdoba, Argentina

    Daniel J. Iosa

  3. The Wilmer Ophthalmological Institute, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA

    José D. Luna

Authors
  1. José D. Luna
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  2. Emma E. Sonzini
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  3. Hugo D. Díaz
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  4. Daniel J. Iosa
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  5. Claudio P. Juárez
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Additional information

The study was performed at: Fundación VER, Córdoba, Argentina. This work has been partially funded by CONICOR (Consejo de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas de la Provincia de Córdoba

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Luna, J.D., Sonzini, E.E., Díaz, H.D. et al. Anomalous intraocular pressure changes in Chagas' disease elicited by postural test. Int Ophthalmol 20, 329–332 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00176886

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00176886

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