Unfortuantely government cut-backs can sometimes mean that specialist uveitis nurses jobs are threatened. These nurses can play a very important role in making sure we stay well while we are on this type of aggressive treatment.
We came across a paper on a “Nurse-led formal health review for immunosuppressed patients with uveitis” by NP Jones and M Pickford from Manchester Eye Hospital which we would whole heartedly agree with. We know from the feed-back we receive from patients with uveitis just how helpful and supportive these specialist nurses can be.
Abstract
Purpose To describe and analyse a method of detailed formal health review for patients with sight-threatening uveitis using oral immunosuppression.
Methods Prospective clinical study of 37 patients.
Results Treatment side effects were absent or tolerable in 31 patients (84%) but 34 significant treatment side effects or other significant clinical findings were newly identified. Ten patients underwent a treatment change including three who transferred to a different immunosuppressive.
Conclusions
Formal health review has proved useful in identifying treatment side effects previously not volunteered by patients. A modified form is to be embedded within our clinic management system. We recommend such reviews to enhance drug safety in patients with sight-threatening chronic uveitis using oral immunosuppressives.
Eye (2009) 23, 1400–1403; doi:10.1038/eye.2008.270;
published online 26 September 2008.