title: Chloroquine: ophthalmological safety, and clinical assessment in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: 272 patients on long-term chloroquine therapy were assessed with respect to ocular toxicity and clinical benefit. A simple scheme for rendering patients ophthalmologically safe is presented, employing the recording of central fields to red targets. Under this it was possible to diagnose a state of premaculopathy, which was reversible on stopping treatment. The incidence of premaculopathy was 41% in 143 patients who otherwise displayed no abnormality of the fundus oculi and who had received a mean total dose of 410 g. of chloroquine phosphate or the hydroxychloroquine sulphate equivalent. Under this joint ophthalmological and rheumatological supervision it was considered that the minor side-effects that may be caused by chloroquine are outweighed by its therapeutic value.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003117:Color Vision Defects / Q000139:chemically induced; D003315:Cornea / Q000187:drug effects; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008266:Macula Lutea / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009887:Ophthalmoscopy; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000187:drug effects; D012607:Scotoma / Q000139:chemically induced; D014785:Vision, Ocular / Q000187:drug effects; D014794:Visual Fields
chemical_list: D002738:Chloroquine