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. 1968 Sep 7;3(5618):579–584. doi: 10.1136/bmj.3.5618.579

Chloroquine: Ophthalmological Safety, and Clinical Assessment in Rheumatoid Arthritis

S P B Percival, I Meanock
PMCID: PMC1991130  PMID: 4875645

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.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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