Toxic maculopathy. Part I. A result of quinine usage.
A group of 16 heroin-dependent patients undergoing voluntary detoxification were studied to detect "toxic" quinine amblyopia." No true "amblyopia" was found but 8 of 16 (50%) patients had positive Amsler grid tests. This was called "toxic maculopathy." A control group of US Army reservists showed 1 of 25 (4%) to have positive Amsler chart tests. The difference between the two groups is significant and probably represents a chronic, low dose quinine macular toxicity. The strongly suggested relationship between chronic low doses of quinine and subtle macular changes led us to create a second study to document objective abnormalities. This study is presented in Part II.
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006556:Heroin Dependence; D006801:Humans; D008266:Macula Lutea / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D011803:Quinine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D014794:Visual Fields
D011803:Quinine