Each week, we identify one top search term, speculate as to what caused its popularity, and provide an infographic on a related condition. If you have thoughts about what's trending and why, feel free to share them with us on Twitter or Facebook!
Trending Clinical Topic of the Week (March 16-22): Dry Eye
New findings that confirm a relationship between two common conditions have resulted in this week's top trending clinical topic. Although the exact mechanism responsible for the connection remains unclear, patients who have migraines are more likely than the general population to have dry eye disease. Although previous research had suggested an association, the new study in JAMA Ophthalmology provides the most conclusive evidence to date. Researchers found that the odds of patients diagnosed with migraines having dry eye disease was 1.42 times higher than those of patients without migraine. Female sex and advancing age were linked with a stronger association.
Dry eye disease affects an estimated 16 million people in the United States alone, and the incidence appears to be growing, despite frequently going unrecognized. Thankfully, two recent treatment options have been made available for the condition. The US Food and Drug Administration approved cyclosporine A ophthalmic solution 0.09% to increase tear production in patients with dry eye disease. Meanwhile, a device that zaps nerves inside the nasal cavity has been found to significantly reduce dry eye disease symptoms. However, that intranasal tear neurostimulator is only intended for patients with aqueous deficiency, not meibomian gland deficiency. Those who provide care for patients with this increasingly common condition are clearly interested in more information, making dry eye disease this week's top trending clinical topic.
Read more information on dry eye disease.
Medscape © 2019
Cite this: Ryan Syrek. Trending Clinical Topics for March 2019 - Medscape - Mar 29, 2019.
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