Posted in Volume 16 - Number 1 Suppl
MUMTAZ ALI CHHUTTO, HAKIM ALI ABRO. AZIZULLAH JALBANI, SHAHID JAMAL SIDDIQUI
ABSTRACT | Full Text PDF
OBJECTIVE: To document the frequency of night blindness in cirrhotic patients and effective treatment with vitamin A leads to restore the vision.
DESIGN OF STUDY: Cross-sectional descriptive.
PLACE AND DURATION: Indoor and outdoor patients at Chandka Medical College Hospital Larkana, from May 2008 to April 2009.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: 150 cirrhotic patients, visited in tertiary Care, CMC teaching Hospital Larkana, were enrolled in this study. After informed consent, a detailed history was taken especially dietary history of low fat intake and through clinical examination was performed. The diagnosis of cirrhosis of liver was made on the basis of clinical features and ultrasonic features. Ultrasound abdomen was done for liver parenchymal changes, liver size, portal vein, spleen size and ascites.
RESULTS: Out of 150 patients, 84 (56%) were males and 66 (44%) females. The mean age for males was 46 ± 9 years and those of females were 45 ± 8 years. The etiologically; hepatitis C virus in 108 (72%) patients, hepatitis B virus in 21(14%), both hepatitis B and C virus in 12 (8%) patients, Non-B and Non-C in 9 (6%) patients. According to child-pugh’s classification there were, 33 (22%) patients in class A, 93 (62%) patients in class B, 24 (16%) were in class C. History of night blindness in 90 (60%) cirrhotic patients. History of low fat diet was present in 100 patients, 85 have night blindness, while 15 patients have no history of night blindness.
CONCLUSION: The night blindness is prevalent in patients with liver cirrhosis, being more in patients with child-pugh’s class B & C. history of low fat diet was important risk factor for night blindness. Vitamin A therapy is a rough indicator of vitamin A deficiency in night blindness cirrhotic patients. The eye changes are treatable and preventable in these cirrhotic patients.
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