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Hydroxychloroquine retinopathy, an irreversible and vision-threatening complication of long-term use, can be arrested with early detection. To quantify risks associated with weight-based hydroxychloroquine dosing (<5 mg/kg, 5–6 mg/kg, or >6 mg/kg) and duration of therapy, researchers analyzed pharmacy dispensing records and annual optical coherence tomography screening exams for 3300 patients (mean age, 58) in a large California healthcare system. The most common indications for hydroxychloroquine were rheumatoid arthritis, other arthritides, and systemic lupus erythematosus. All included patients had taken hydroxychloroquine for at least 5 years.
In total, 81 patients (median treatment duration, 9 years) developed hydroxychloroquine retinop…