Original articles
Pharmacologic testing in Horner's syndrome – a new paradigm
Derrick P Smit
Abstract
For more than three decades, topical cocaine has been used to confirm the diagnosis and hydroxyamphetamine to localise the causative lesion in oculosympathetic palsy or Horner’s syndrome. More recently, other drugs have demonstrated the ability to point to the diagnosis or anatomical site. Apraclonidine and phenylephrine, given their similar diagnostic efficacy and increased availability, may have superseded cocaine and hydroxyamphetamine as first-line pharmacological testing agents in Horner’s syndrome.
Author's affiliations
Derrick P Smit, Division of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Western Cape, South Africa
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Keywords
Horner syndrome; cocaine; hydroxyamphetamine; apraclonidine; phenylephrine; pholedrine
Cite this article
South African Medical Journal 2010;100(11):738-740.
Article History
Date submitted: 2009-09-15
Date published: 2010-11-09
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