Clinical and oculographic response to Tenuate Dospan (diethylpropionate) in a patient with congenital nystagmus.
OBJECTIVE
We report a female adult with congenital nystagmus who responded with improved visual function and oculographic parameters after taking the anorexic diet drug Tenuate Dospan (diethylproprionate; Watson Laboratories, Inc., Corona, California).


METHODS
Observational case report. Clinical ophthalmic examination and ocular motility recordings were performed before and after administration of the drug Tenuate Dospan.


RESULTS
The binocular visual acuity of the patient improved from 20/70 to 20/50, her exotropic deviation decreased from 12 to 4 prism diopters, her stereopsis increased from none to 200 seconds/arc, and her ocular motility recordings showed increased foveation periods and a broadened null zone.


CONCLUSIONS
For unexplained reasons, the anorexic stimulant Tenuate Dospan "paradoxically" improved the nystagmus and binocular function in this patient with congenital nystagmus. This observation may be the basis for investigation of a new pharmacological treatment approach to patients with congenital nystagmus or strabismus.
Hertle
Richard W
RW
Pediatric Ophthalmology, Strabismus and Eye Movement Service, The Laboratory of Sensorimotor Research, The National Eye Institute, The National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA. hertler@chi.osu.edu
Maybodi
Mitra
M
Mellow
Susan D
SD
Yang
Dongsheng
D
D001067:Appetite Depressants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004053:Diethylpropion / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004585:Electrooculography / Q000187:drug effects*; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D020417:Nystagmus, Congenital / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015348:Vision, Binocular / Q000187:drug effects; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects
D001067:Appetite Depressants; D004053:Diethylpropion