X-linked juvenile retinoschisis (XLRS) is a disease considered characteristic for males. In this study we report a consanguineous family in which 3 daughters were diagnosed with XLRS. Typical signs of XLRS were detected in 2 girls, aged 4 and 15. Fundoscopic examination of the father and the oldest daughter (age 17) revealed bilateral atrophic macula and retinal thinning. Although rare and considered characteristic for males, XLRS can be seen in females in Middle-East countries that have a high rate of consanguineous marriage. It can be overlooked by ophthalmologists and these patients may be misdiagnosed.
1 January 2020 in Therapeutic Advances in Ophthalmology
The purpose of this study was to investigate the serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) which is a marker of oxidative stress, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) which has an important role in inflammation, and vitamin C which has antioxidant properties in patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD). Thirty patients with wAMD were included in the study and serum levels of MDA, MCP-1, and vitamin C were compared with healthy participants (n = 30). Serum vitamin C and MDA levels were measured using a spectrophotometric method. Serum MCP-1 levels were determined by the ELISA method. MCP-1 and MDA levels were higher in patients with wAMD compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Serum vitamin C levels were lower in patients with wAMD compared with the control group (p < 0.05). The increase in the MCP-1 levels in patients with wAMD may be associated with increased inflammation in wAMD. Decreased serum vitamin C and elevated MDA levels in patients with wAMD suggest increased oxidative stress in wAMD patients. These results indicate that the increased oxidative stress and inflammation can play a role in the pathogenesis of wAMD.
Posterior capsular opacification (PCO) is a common complication after cataract surgery, which is commonly treated using neodymium: yttrium–aluminum–garnet (Nd-YAG) laser capsulotomy. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of Nd-YAG laser capsulotomy on retinal and choroidal structures. Thirty-four eyes from 32 patients with PCO were included. Patients underwent Nd-YAG laser capsulotomy, and assessments were performed preoperatively, at 1st week, and 1st month postoperatively. OCT scans were acquired using Swept-source Optical Coherence Tomography (SS OCT). Choroidal thickness (CT) maps within the early treatment diabetic retinopathy study (ETDRS) subfields were obtained. Choroidal Vascularity Index (CVI) was calculated from OCT scans using Image J software. The preoperative, postoperative first week and first month measurements were compared. The mean age of patients was 68.7 ± 8.6 years. Visual acuity significantly improved postoperatively ( p < 0.001), while IOP remained unchanged ( p = 0.170). No significant change in central macular thickness (CMT) was observed across time points. CVI significantly increased postoperatively ( p = 0.004). Choroidal thickness remained stable in most sectors, except for significant reduction in the inner inferior sector at 1 month ( p = 0.025). Nd-YAG laser capsulotomy did not affect central macular thickness but caused localized change in choroidal thickness. Increased CVI was found which may be linked to postoperative inflammation. These findings suggest capsulotomy may affect choroidal structure and vasculature.
Background: This study aims to compare serum HMGB-1, 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT), TAS, TOS, and OSI levels in Wet-type Age-Related Macular Degeneration (wAMD) patients and healthy controls to determine the correlation of these parameters with each other. Methods: Thirty patients with Wet-type Age-Related Macular Degeneration (wAMD) and 27 healthy adults, as controls were enrolled in the study. We determined the TAS and TOS levels in serum samples of both groups using commercial kits on a microplate reader. Serum HMGB-1 and 3-NT levels were measured with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Results: HMGB-1 levels were significantly higher in the patient group (137.51 pg / mL, p=0.001), while there was no difference between the two groups in serum 3-NT levels (p=0.428). A statistically significant difference found in the levels of TOS and OSI (p=0.001 and p=0.045, respectively) between the patients and controls, however, no significant difference was observed between the groups in terms of TAS levels (p=0.228). Conclusions: Oxidative stress and HMGB-1 levels were increased in wAMD patients and enhanced oxidative stress may be associated with increased tissue necrosis and inflammation. Thus administration of antioxidant treatment in addition to routine therapy should be considered in wAMD.
13 October 2023 in Psychiatry and Clinical Psychopharmacology
This study’s purpose is to determine the effects of current episode and the mood stabilizers on chorioretinal layer thicknesses of bipolar disorder (BD) patients using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Sixty-seven patients were diagnosed with BD I and using lithium (Li) or valproic acid (VPA), of whom 20 were manic, 24 were depressive, and 23 were in remission, and 49 healthy individuals were included in the study. Peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), ganglion cell layer, and macular thicknesses of the participants were measured automatically using SD-OCT, and their choroid layer thicknesses were measured manually using the depth imaging mode of SD-OCT. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 23.0. The patient group’s mean age was 39.78 ± 11.78, and the control group’s mean age was 42.06 ± 12.10. The mean disease duration was 13.22 ± 8.23 in the patient group, and 26 patients were using Li. While peripapillary RNFL thicknesses were lower in the patient group (P < .05), other layer measurements were similar between the groups. Moreover, the episodes experienced by BD patients did not affect chorioretinal SD-OCT measurements. The patients on VPA had significantly lower RNFL thicknesses compared to the control and the Li groups, and all chorioretinal measurements were similar between the Li and the control groups. As a result of the study, it was established that neurodegenerative processes play a role in the pathophysiology of BD and the usage of Li is protective against the neurodegeneration of RNFL. Retinal changes measured with SD-OCT can be used for the diagnosis and prognosis of BD and for evaluating responses to mood stabilizers.