1,721,003 research outputs found
The role of serology in active ocular toxoplasmosis
No full textOur purpose was to examine toxoplasmic serology in relation to episodes of suspected acute toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis and evaluate its use in the appraisal of patients. The mean values of enzymatic immunoassay (EIA) titers for toxoplasmic antibodies were retrospectively compared in patients with active and inactive toxoplasmosis and in a third group of uveitis cases not caused by toxoplasmosis. The proportion of cases under and above a predefined serology value above cut-off was compared in all groups. Between 1995 and 2010, 97 out of 1,276 new uveitis cases seen at the Centre for Ophthalmic Specialized Care (COS), Lausanne, Switzerland were diagnosed as toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis, of which 51 had documented serology available. The mean EIA values for immunoglobulin (Ig) G were 147.75 +/- 259.4 IU/ml for patients with active disease, 18.93 +/- 23.09 (p < 0.05) for patients with inactive toxoplasmosis and 18.35 +/- 20.82 for controls (p < 0.017). The proportion of cases under the designated limit value were 2/51 (4%) in the active retinitinochoroiditis group, 14/27 (52%) (p < 0.05) in the control group, and 7/7 (100%) in the inactive toxoplasmic group (p < 0.001). Three out of 51 cases showed high IgM values in addition to IgG elevation and were primary infections. Toxoplasmosis serology, contrary to popular belief, is useful to confirm active toxoplasmic retinochoroiditis; it is easy to perform, cheap and supports clinical diagnosis in up to 96% of cases, not only by showing positivity but by also showing a significant elevation of titers. In atypical cases serology is not only useful but essential
Incidental versus clinically diagnosed differentiated thyroid cancer in both adult and elderly subjects: histological characteristics and follow-up in a retrospective analysis from a single institution
No full textPurpose: Most thyroid cancer are incidentally diagnosed. However, little is known on the different modalities of incidental diagnosis in adult versus older patients. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 440 patients consecutively diagnosed with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) in a single institution. Modalities of diagnosis were categorized as follows: (A) clinically diagnosed, nonincidental cases; (B) incidental during carotid power-duplex (CPD); (C) incidental during neck imaging other than carotid power-duplex; (D) incidental during imaging workup of thyroid dysfunction or at histological examination after thyroidectomy for benign lesions. Demographics, histology and follow-up were compared between adult (<65 years) and older (≥65 years) patients according to the different modalities of diagnosis. Results: A total of 363 and 67 cases were recorded in adult and older patients, respectively with incidental proportions of 79% and 85%, respectively. A P < 0.001 significant difference in the modality of diagnosis was found between adult and older subjects, the latter presenting with a higher prevalence of Group B. In the nonincidental group, papillary histotype, larger size, and extrathyroidal invasion were more frequently observed in older subjects. Disease-free survival was comparable between adult and older subjects in the incidental cases, whereas it was reduced, though not significantly, in older subjects. Conclusion: Incidental cases of DTC are more frequently diagnosed in the old subjects and are mainly due to CPD. Disease-free survival is comparable between adult and older subjects in both incidental and nonincidental cases, although it may be slightly reduced in nonincidentally diagnosed older patients
Tuberculous uveitis, a resurgent and underdiagnosed disease
No full textBackground: Over the last decade ocular involvement due to tuberculosis has re-emerged. In non-endemic areas the low frequency of active tuberculosis is at the origin of an underestimation of the disease. The purpose of this study is to report a group of patients with presumed tuberculous uveitis and to analyse the pre-diagnostic course, the diagnostic delay and the evolution of ocular inflammation after diagnosis and anti-tuberculous treatment. Methods: Criteria for presumed tuberculous uveitis included the presence of a hyperpositive tuberculin skin test with compatible uveitis and the exclusion of other possible etiologies. Results: Thirty-five patients fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for presumed tuberculous uveitis and were included in the study. The diagnosis was performed at presentation in only seven patients, while the correct diagnosis was delayed in the other 30 patients. The mean diagnostic delay was 5.7 ± 4 years. Anti-tuberculous therapy was given for a minimum of 6 to a maximum of 24 months. Post-diagnostic mean follow-up was 30.4 ± 13.4 months. Anti-tuberculous therapy resulted in a highly significant increase in visual acuity, from 0.53 to 0.78 (P < 0.001), a highly significant decrease of recurrences, from 100 to 10% (P < 0.001), with only three recurrences observed during the follow-up, and a highly significant decrease in intra-ocular pressure, from 18.3 to 13.7 (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Our study tends to confirm the existence of tuberculous uveitis and supports the validity of the proposed diagnostic criteria. Recognition of the correct diagnosis and specific therapy, even with substantial delay, avoids recurrences, improves visual acuity and intra-ocular inflammation and decreases intra-ocular pressure. © Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. 2007
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Functional assessment of two different accommodative intraocular lenses compared with a monofocal intraocular lens
No full textPURPOSE: To evaluate selected functional and physical properties of 2 models of accommodative intraocular lenses (IOLs) compared with those of a standard monofocal IOL. DESIGN: Prospective randomized comparative trial. PARTICIPANTS: Subjects were divided into 3 groups. In group 1, 30 eyes (19 subjects) received 1CU IOL implantation; in group 2, 29 eyes (19 subjects) received AT-45 IOL implantation; and in group 3, 21 eyes (21 subjects) were implanted with a monofocal IOL as a control. INTERVENTION: Cataract surgery with implantation of the 1CU and AT-45 accommodative IOL models in the study groups, and the ACR6D monofocal IOL in the control group. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Far and near distance visual parameters were assessed at 1, 6, and 12 months after surgery in the accommodative IOL groups, and at 1 and 12 months in the control group. Anterior segment anatomy was investigated by ultrasound biomicroscopy, with and without visual accommodative stimulation. RESULTS: The accommodative IOL groups significantly differed from the controls in terms of lower near-distance refractive addition (NDRA) and better distance-corrected near visual acuity (DCNVA), with P<0.001 at 1 year. The anterior IOL displacement during accommodation (DeltaACD) was significantly larger in the study groups, and this correlated with DCNVA. Until 6 months, the DeltaACD correlated with the solicited sclerociliary process rotation only in the study groups. CONCLUSION: This 12-month study demonstrated that the accommodating IOLs achieved better clinical results than the monofocal IOL in terms of DCNVA and NDRA. These results support the hypothesis that accommodative IOLs proportionally react to ciliary body rotation, although this relationship became less evident at 12 months
Clinical, Electrocardiographic, and Echocardiographic Features in Hospitalized Nonagenarians (90+): Comparison between the Genders
No full textObjectives: We investigated the clinical, electrocardiographic, and echocardiographic determinants of the cardiac status in nonagenarian patients. Methods: We consecutively examined 654 Caucasian patients (232 males and 422 females) aged ≥90 years. All patients underwent clinical examination, ECG, and transthoracic echocardiography. Results: Their average age was 92.5 ± 2.5 years. Patients were predominately female of older age (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.02, respectively). A history of cardiovascular disease was present in 78.4% of the participants. One third of the patients was hospitalized for cardiovascular causes, with females being twice as many (p < 0.0001). Females showed higher levels of serum cholesterol, triglycerides, and glycemia (p < 0.0001, p< 0.0001, and p = 0.04 respectively). Sinus rhythm was detected in 65%, and atrial fibrillation in 31% of the overall population. Heart rate, PR and corrected QT (QTc) intervals, right bundle branch block (RBBB) and RBBB associated with left anterior fascicular block (LAFB) were higher in males (p < 0.0001, p = 0.036, p = 0.009, p = 0.001, and p = 0.004, respectively). Aortic root dimension, left ventricular (LV) mass index, and indexed LV systolic-diastolic volumes were higher in males (p < 0.001, p < 0.0001, p < 0.001, and p < 0.0001, respectively). Women showed fewer LV segmental kinetic disorders (p = 0009) and higher LV ejection fraction (LVEF; p< 0.0001). Hyperuricemia was positively associated with a history of cardiovascular disease (r = 0.15), glycemia (r = 19), creatininemia (r = 0.50), uremia (r = 0.51), triglycerides (r = 0.19), PR interval (r = 0.14), and left bundle branch block (r = 0.11), and inversely associated with sinus rhythm (r = -0.14) and LVEF (r = -0.17). Diabetes was positively correlated with PR and QTc intervals (r = 0.14 and r = 0.10, respectively), and RBBB with LFAB (r = 0.10), and inversely correlated with LVEF (r = -0.10). Conclusions: We found a remarkable presence of cardiovascular risk factors, ECG, and structural alterations in hospitalized nonagenarians, which presents more commonly in males
Associations between plasma levels of vitamins and cataract in the Italian-American Clinical Trial of Nutritional Supplements and age-related cataract (CTNS): CTNS Report #2
No full textPurpose: To investigate the association at baseline between plasma levels of selected vitamins and the presence and type of cataract in the participants in The Italian-American Trial of Nutritional Supplements and Age-related Cataract. Methods: At baseline, the participants (1020, 710 with "early cataract" and 310 with "no cataract," 55-75 years of age) received an ocular examination, photographic lens grading, and measurement of plasma levels of vitamins A, C, E, beta-carotene, and of red blood cell glutathione reductase activity. Results: In multiple logistic models adjusted for potential confounders, high vitamin C levels were associated with a protective effect on nuclear (N) [OR: 0.54; 95% CI: 0.30, 0.97] and posterior subcapsular (PSC) cataract (OR: 0.37; 95% CI: 0.15, 0.93). High vitamin E levels were associated with increased prevalence of cortical cataract (C) (OR: 1.99; 95% CI: 1.02-3.90), PSC (OR: 3.27; 95% CI: 1.34, 7.96) and of any cataract (OR: 1.86; 95% CI: 1.08, 3.18). Conclusions: In agreement with some earlier studies, we found higher plasma levels of vitamin C to be associated with reduced prevalence of N and PSC cataracts. The finding of an increased prevalence of some types of cataract with higher levels of vitamin E was unexpected, has not been previously reported, and could be due to unadjusted confounding. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Inc
Prevalence of hereditary hyperferritinemia-cataract syndrome in blood donors and patients with cataract
No full textWe screened 3,249 blood donors and 12,916 patients with cataract to get insights into the frequency of hereditary hyperferritinemia cataract syndrome (HHCS) in subjects with unexplained hyperferritinemia and/or cataract. No mutation in the iron responsive element of the L-ferritin gene was found in subjects who met the established inclusion criteria. HHCS appears to be a relatively rare condition, even in selected patients
Cyclosporin A in the ocular fluids of uveitis patients following long-term systemic administration
No full textAbstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS: To determine the levels of cyclosporin A (CsA) in tears and the anterior segment of the eye following long-term oral intake for autoimmune diseases.
METHODS: Subjects taking oral CsA to treat relapsing autoimmune ocular inflammation were included in this study. All of the patients had been quiescent for at least 6 months. In patients scheduled for cataract extraction (group A), the CsA levels in the blood, aqueous humour and anterior capsule of the lens were determined. In subjects not requiring surgical intervention (group B), CsA was measured in tears and blood. The samples were analysed using turbulent flow chromatography coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).
RESULTS: There were 19 subjects in group A and 43 subjects in group B. CsA was detectable in all of the tear samples with a mean value of 22.4 +/- 20.2 ng/ml and there was a significant positive correlation between the CsA levels in tears and blood (P = 0.012). CsA was not detected in any of the surgical samples.
CONCLUSION: LC-MS/MS proved very sensitive for detecting CsA in low-volume biological samples. CsA was present in human tears in proportion to the blood level after an average of 12 hours from the last oral intake
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