118 research outputs found
Long-term effect of Progesterone in preservation of the epithelioid phenotype of amniotic epithelial cells in vitro
No full textProgesterone prevents epithelial-mesenchymal transition of ovine amniotic epithelial cells and enhances their immunomodulatory properties
No full textAnti-TNF therapy for juvenile idiopathic arthritis-related uveitis
No full textFrancesco Semeraro,1 Barbara Arcidiacono,2 Giuseppe Nascimbeni,1 Martina Angi,1 Barbara Parolini,2 Ciro Costagliola31Eye Clinic, Department of Neurological Sciences and Vision, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy; 2Department of Ophthalmology, S. Anna Hospital, Brescia, Italy; 3Eye Clinic, Department of Health Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso, ItalyAbstract: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis-related uveitis is the most common type of uveitis in childhood and one of the main causes of visual impairment in children. The introduction of biological treatment has widened the range of therapeutic options for children with uveitis refractory to standard nonbiologic immunosuppressants. Data from clinical trials suggest that both adalimumab and infliximab have demonstrated effectiveness and safety in open-label studies, although no large, randomized, controlled trials have been reported so far. The role of etanercept in treating juvenile idiopathic arthritis-related uveitis is not yet well defined. In our experience, anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy has been shown to be more effective than steroids and/or methotrexate in treating uveitis. Up to now, tumor necrosis factor blocking compounds have been reserved for the treatment of the most severe cases of refractory uveitis, and larger prospective clinical trials are required in order to better assess the safety of these new compounds.Keywords: adalimumab, etanercept, inflixima
Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography findings in idiopathic lamellar macular hole
No full textBACKGROUND:
To evaluate demographic, functional, and morphological parameters of idiopathic lamellar macular hole (ILMH).
METHODS:
Observational longitudinal retrospective study. Optical coherence tomography examinations and corresponding clinical charts of a series of consecutive patients affected by ILMH, between January 2010 and March 2015, from the database of the Department of Ophthalmology of Trento Hospital, Italy, have been collected and examined. Demographic and functional parameters were: age (year), gender (male/female), eye (right/left), lens status, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (LogMAR). Tomographic parameters were: LMH shape pattern (intraretinal splitting LMH, IR split LMH, and V-shaped LMH, V LMH), posterior vitreous detachment (PVD yes/ PVD no), ERM type (conventional ERM and atypical ERM), integrity of ellipsoid zone (EZ) and external limiting membrane (ELM), residual foveal thickness (RFT) micron (μ), maximal diameter of intraretinal splitting (MDIRS) (μ).
RESULTS:
One hundred and eighty-nine eyes of 175 patients were included. The mean age was 72.84 ± 9.6, range 41-96 years. BCVA mean was 0.24 ± 0.25, range 0 -1.3 LogMAR. One hundred and forty-one eyes (74.6 %) were affected by IR split LMH, 48 eyes (25.4 %) were affected by V LMH. Every cases of ILMH were associated with ERM: 117 (61.9 %) conventional ERM, 72 (38.1 %) atypical ERM. A significant prevalence of female gender, phakic condition, and PVD in conventional ERM ILMH subgroup (P = 0.000) was found. BCVA mean was better in the conventional ERM ILMH subgroup (P = 0.000). An association between the interruption of the outer retinal layers (EZ and ELM) and atypical ERM ILMH subgroup was highlighted (P = 0.000). The statistical analysis showed a correlation between BCVA and integrity of ELM (P = 0.000). RFT significantly decreased in atypical ERM ILMH subgroup at 24 months compared to time point 0 (P = 0.027). A progressive increase of MDIRS in both subgroups at 12 months and in atypical ERM ILMH subgroup at 24 months (P = 0.007) was highlighted.
CONCLUSIONS:
This study demonstrated that ILMH was not a stable condition, showing morphological changes and an involvement of the outer retinal layers during the 2 years of follow-up
Role of OCT in the diagnosis and follow up of diabetic macular edema
No full textThe aim is to present, along with a brief literature review, the results of OCT scan in eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME), as well as examples of the utility of OCT for different therapeutic approaches. One-hundred and thirty-six eyes with diabetic retinopathy were analyzed with OCT to explore the different patterns of DME. Some eyes with DME were studied with OCT pre and postoperatively to determine the efficacy of photocoagulation and vitrectomy to restore a normal macular profile. Sixty-eight eyes with a central foveal thickness of 200 mu or more were considered "edematous". Three different patterns of DME were recognized and analyzed: macular thickening, cystoid macular edema and shallow retinal detachment. The change in macular profile and internal retinal structure after laser or surgical treatment are well visible with OCT. OCT contributes in understanding the anatomy of DME and the intraretinal damage and seems to be the technique of choice for the follow-up of macular edema. We think that this tool should always be used in monitoring the effect of therapies in future studies
The Role of the Intraoperative Optical Coherence Tomography for Vitreoretinal Surgery in a Real-Life Setting
No full textBackground: To descriptively report the advantages and the feasibility of microscope-integrated intraoperative optical coherence tomography (i-OCT) in managing different vitreoretinal diseases in a real-life setting. Methods: We conducted an observational retrospective study involving 265 eyes that underwent elective retinal surgery and intraoperative OCT between 1 September 2018 and 1 October 2022 at Eyecare Clinic (Brescia, Italy). Results: 52 epiretinal membranes, 30 retinal detachments, 60 high myopic eyes, 30 choroidal transplants, 40 macular holes, and 32 vitreo-proliferative retinopathies underwent vitreoretinal surgery and intraoperative OCT scans. The i-OCT was a useful diagnostic exam for all cases and significantly influenced our surgical management. Conclusions: i-OCT is a helpful surgical tool in ophthalmic surgery as it provides real-time feedback of tissue anatomy to surgeons, thereby guiding decision-making. Moreover, it provides additional information on the microarchitectural changes after instrument–tissue interactions, further guiding procedures when necessary and possibly reducing unessential surgical maneuvers
Long-Term results of macular buckle for MTM stage 3-4 With maculoschisis and macular detachment without and With lamellar macular hole
No full textPurpose: To report the long-term anatomical and functional results of macular buckle for Myopic Traction Maculopathy (MTM) in stages 3a, 3b, 4a, and 4b according to the MTM Staging System (MSS). Methods: Retrospective observational cohort study involving 55 consecutive patients with MTM in stages 3a, 3b, 4a, and 4b who underwent macular buckle (MB). Postoperative outcomes, including optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans to evaluate the MTM stage and its progression, were evaluated 1-month postoperatively (i.e., “intermediate follow-up”) and at last follow-up ranging between 6 and 156 months postoperatively (i.e., “final follow-up”). Results: Fifty-five eyes affected by MTM who underwent MB were enrolled. The mean preoperative and postoperative axial length was 31.13 ± 2.14 and 29.73 ± 2.16 mm, respectively (p < 0.01), with a mean axial shift of 1.32 ± 0.77 mm. The mean sample best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at baseline, intermediate, and final follow-ups was 0.87 ± 0.36, 0.73 ± ..
Gestational stage affects amniotic epithelial cells phenotype, methylation status, immunomodulatory and stemness properties
No full textThe Role of Widefield and Ultra Widefield Optical Coherence Tomography in the Diagnosis and Management of Vitreoretinal Diseases
No full textBackground: This study reports on the advantages of wide-field (WF)- and ultra-widefield (UWF)- optical coherence tomography (OCT) and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in managing different vitreoretinal diseases in a real-life setting using the new WF—Swept Source (SS)—OCT Xephilio S1 (Canon, Tokyo, Japan). Methods: We conducted an observational retrospective case series study involving 1472 eyes that underwent retinal scans with Canon Xephilio® OCT-S1 between 1 March 2021 and 1 December 2021 at Eyecare Clinic (Brescia, Italy). All patients underwent routine ophthalmologic examinations along with WF and UWF color fundus retinography with Clarus 500™ (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Dublin, CA, USA) and Xephilio® OCT-S1. WF SS-OCT, UWF-OCT, WF-OCTA, and UWF-OCTA were taken by using Xephilio® OCT-S1. Results: We analyzed 122 peripheral retinal lesions, 144 retinal detachment, 329 high myopic eyes, 37 pediatric cases, 60 vascular retinopathies, 15 choroidal lesions, and 90 eyes as follow-up post vitreoretinal surgery. The OCT-S1 was the only reliable and diagnostic exam for peripheral lesions, pediatric and high myopic cases, and significantly influenced the management in 10% of cases and the postoperative follow-up. Conclusions: WF and UWF OCT and OCTA imaging may help in the management of several vitreoretinal diseases, becoming an indispensable tool for the high-quality management of patients
Heavy silicone oil and intraocular inflammation
No full textn the past two decades, many advances have been made in vitrectomy instrumentation, surgical techniques, and the use of different tamponade agents. These agents serve close retinal breaks, confine eventual retinal redetachment, and prevent proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). Long-acting gases and silicone oil are effective internal tamponade agents; however, because their specific gravity is lower than that of the vitreous fluid, they may provide adequate support for the superior retina but lack efficacy for the inferior retina, especially when the fill is subtotal. Thus, a specific role may exist for an internal tamponade agent with a higher specific gravity, such as heavy silicone oils (HSOs), Densiron 68, Oxane HD, HWS 45-300, HWS 46-3000, and HeavySil. Some clinical evidence seems to presume that heavy tamponades are more prone to intraocular inflammation than standard silicone if they remain in the eye for several months. In this review, we discuss the fundamental clinical and biochemical/molecular mechanisms involved in the inflammatory response after the use of heavy tamponade: toxicity due to impurities or instability of the agent, direct toxicity and immunogenicity, oil emulsification, and mechanical injury due to gravity. The physical and chemical properties of various HSOs and their efficacy and safety profiles are also described
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