Introduction: Systemic sclerosis (scleroderma, SSc) is a severe chronic connective tissue disease caused by immune system disorders and changes in the structure and functions of blood vessels, which consequently leads to enhanced tissue fibrosis. The aim of the study was to evaluate changes in...

Purpose. To evaluate the long-term results of accelerated corneal cross-linking (CXL) in patients with progressive keratoconus.Methods. Sixteen patients underwent accelerated CXL at 6 mW/cm²for 15 minutes in one eye. The follow-up visits were scheduled on 7 days, 14 days, and 3, 12, and 24 months after the treatment.Results. There were no significant differences (P>0.05) between preoperative and 2-year postoperative mean values, respectively, in terms of uncorrected visual acuity, best spectacle-corrected visual acuity, maximum keratometryKmax⁡, minimum keratometryKmin⁡, corneal astigmatism, and corneal eccentricity index. We noted a significant flattening of the cornea in 18.7% of patients with a higher preoperativeKmax⁡value (>50 D) and its steepening in patients with a lowerKmax⁡value (<50 D) (6.25%). There was no significant difference in the central corneal thickness and the apical corneal thickness preoperatively and 2 years postoperatively. The mean demarcation line depth was282±11 μm. Persistent corneal haze was noted in 25% of patients.Conclusions. Accelerated CXL appears to be a relatively effective procedure for the treatment of keratoconus in 2-year follow-up.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune connective tissue disorder associated with multiple organ involvement. The aim of the study was to present two SSc patients who were diagnosed with ischemic retinopathy in both eyes. As a background to our case study, we decided to investigate the imbalance of angiogenesis factors in 25 SSc patients in relation to 25 healthy controls. Assays of matrix metalloproteinases-2 and -9 (MMP-2, MMP-9), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) and -2 (TIMP-2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and soluble VEGF receptor-2 (sVEGFR-2) in blood serum and tears were performed. A significantly increased levels of MMP-9 in serum and tears, (p = 0.0375 and p < 0.001, respectively) as well as VEGF/sVEGFR-2 ratio in tears (p < 0.001) were found in the whole SSc patients group compared with controls, while reduced levels of these parameters in patients with ischemic sclerodermic retinopathy were noted. We also observed decreased level MMP-2 in tears and increased levels of TIMP-2 in blood serum and tears of SSc patients with retinal ischemic changes. MMP-9, MMP-2, TIMP-2, and VEGF/sVEGFR-2 may play a crucial role in ischemic retinal degeneration or retinal reorganization in SSc.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disorder characterized by tissue hypoxia, excessive fibrosis of skin and internal organs, and angiogenesis imbalance. The aim of the study was to evaluate in SSc patients the association between the retinal microcirculation disturbances and the presence of peripheral trophic changes and to determine the role of angiogenesis factors in the formation of vascular changes in scleroderma. Twenty-five SSc patients and 25 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were included to the study. Assay of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and soluble VEGF receptor-2 (sVEGFR-2) in blood serum and tears was done for all patients and controls using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Retinal blood circulation was investigated with fluorescein angiography (FA) in the SSc patients only. In our research, proportion of mainly hypertensive patients presenting with a large spectrum of retinal microvascular lesions was 72%, while proportion of patients with skin microvascular lesions within distal phalanxes of fingers and toes was 76%. We noticed that patients with pathological changes in the FA examination had finger ulcerations significantly more often than patients without changes in the eye fundus. There were no statistically significant differences in the serum concentration of VEGF and sVEGFR2 between subjects in both analyzed groups. Analysis of lower levels of VEGF (p=<0.001) and sVEGFR-2 (p=<0.001) in blood serum accompanied by simultaneous higher levels of VEGF/sVEGFR-2 ratio in tears of SSc patients, as compared with the control group, indicates the superiority of proangiogenic factors in patients’ tears.

Introduction: First lesions to occur in the course of systemic sclerosis (SSc) involve microcirculation. Aim: The study involved assessment of the suitability of laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) in examination of the performance of skin microcirculation in the distal portion of the upper...