Publications by authors named "Alejandra Torre"
Article Synopsis
- The retinal microvasculature can be visualized non-invasively, making it a promising method for detecting microvascular changes linked to systemic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and cerebrovascular issues.
- Research shows that structural changes in the retinal blood vessels correlate with cardiovascular risks and can predict complications and mortality from systemic hypertension.
- There is a push for better diagnostic tools using retinal imaging, emphasizing the importance of understanding 3D vascular structures and advocating for larger, long-term studies to clarify how these retinal changes relate to various systemic health conditions.
Influence of gender on Behçet's disease phenotype and irreversible organ damage: Data from the International AIDA Network Behçet's Disease Registry.
Joint Bone Spine
November 2024
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to explore gender differences in the phenotypical expression of Behçet's disease (BD) using data from the International AIDA Network Registry, focusing on damage index, disease manifestations, and cardiovascular risk.
- A total of 1024 patients (567 males and 457 females) were examined, revealing that males had a significantly higher overall damage index and more frequent occurrences of uveitis and vascular involvement, while females showed higher instances of arthralgia, arthritis, and CNS involvement.
- Key factors associated with major organ involvement included male gender, treatment with biologic agents, origin from endemic regions, and longer disease duration, indicating a more severe course of BD in males compared to females.
Article Synopsis
- Cytomegalovirus retinitis (CMVR) is a major cause of blindness in advanced AIDS patients, with varied treatment approaches due to the lack of established guidelines.
- A review of 59 studies revealed an 18% improvement in visual acuity and a 90% rate of inflammation resolution, with ganciclovir being the most commonly used antiviral treatment.
- Notably, patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) had a significantly lower recurrence rate of inflammation compared to those not on ART, and the most common side effect reported was neutropenia related to ganciclovir.
Uveitis characteristics and multiple sclerosis phenotype of patients with multiple sclerosis-associated uveitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
PLoS One
October 2024
Article Synopsis
- - Purpose: The study aimed to summarize and analyze the characteristics of uveitis and the phenotype of multiple sclerosis (MS) in patients with multiple sclerosis-associated uveitis (MSAU) through a systematic review and meta-analysis conducted on data up to January 2023.
- - Methods: A thorough literature search was conducted across multiple databases, focusing on relevant studies involving patients with MSAU. The analysis included various study designs, assessing quality and risk of bias, and examining uveitis characteristics and MS phenotype using statistical software.
- - Results: The meta-analysis covered 36 studies with 1,257 patients revealing a mean patient age of 38.2 years, with most cases being female (67%). Notably
Article Synopsis
- - IL-6 inhibitors are emerging as effective treatments for non-infectious uveitis (NIU) that doesn't respond well to standard therapies, addressing key issues like inflammation and vision loss.
- - Review studies highlight that these biologic agents have succeeded in reducing inflammation in 34% to 88% of patients and decreasing dependency on corticosteroids by about 55%.
- - Although results are promising, showing improvements in visual acuity and macular edema, more research is necessary to confirm the long-term safety and effectiveness of IL-6 inhibitors in uveitis management.
Article Synopsis
- Intermediate uveitis involves inflammation of the vitreous and pars planitis, which can stem from various causes including infections, systemic diseases, or may be idiopathic (unknown origin).
- The specific term "pars planitis" refers to the idiopathic form characterized by distinctive findings like snowballs and snowbanks in the eye.
- Diagnosis relies on recognizing symptoms (like floaters) and conducting a thorough eye examination, while advanced techniques like PCR testing help identify underlying infectious or neoplastic causes.
Article Synopsis
- - We agree with Dr. Kasperkiewicz's points about improving the diagnosis of ocular pemphigoid and distinguishing it from pseudopemphigoid.
- - Relying only on clinical signs can lead to incorrect diagnoses, highlighting the need for more accurate methods.
- - A biopsy can be complicated and sometimes requires multiple attempts, so it's essential to have a team approach with both ophthalmologists and dermatologists involved in the assessment.
Dry eye disease and spondyloarthritis: expanding the spectrum of systemic inflammatory disorders associated with ocular surface disease. Data from the international AIDA Network Spondyloarthritis Registry.
Front Med (Lausanne)
September 2024
Article Synopsis
- Dry eye disease (DED) may be associated with axial spondylarthritis (axial-SpA), as this study aims to investigate the correlation between the two conditions and identify related variables.
- Out of 71 axial-SpA patients, 64.8% reported DED symptoms compared to only 15.8% of 19 healthy controls, suggesting a significantly higher prevalence of DED in axial-SpA patients.
- Various ocular tests revealed that axial-SpA patients exhibited poorer tear production and ocular surface health, indicated by lower Schirmer test scores, shorter tear break-up times, and higher staining levels, reinforcing the link between axial-SpA and DED.
Corrigendum: Efficacy and safety of Janus kinase inhibitors in non-infectious inflammatory ocular diseases: a prospective cohort study from the international AIDA network registries.
Front Med (Lausanne)
September 2024
Article Synopsis
- The article discusses corrections to research findings initially published.
- It emphasizes the importance of accuracy in scientific communication.
- This correction aims to ensure that readers are aware of any significant changes to the original data and conclusions.
Purpose: To report two cases of ibrutinib-related uveitis and review the literature to date.
Methods: We report two cases of ibrutinib-related uveitis using CARE guidelines and review the cases reported in the literature.
Results: Case 1) A 55-year-old female with recurrent primary central nervous system lymphoma presented with bilateral decreased visual acuity, photophobia, and floaters that started one month after initiating oral treatment with ibrutinib.
Efficacy and safety of Janus kinase inhibitors in non-infectious inflammatory ocular diseases: a prospective cohort study from the international AIDA network registries.
Front Med (Lausanne)
August 2024
Article Synopsis
- Non-infectious inflammatory ocular diseases can be challenging to diagnose and manage, often requiring systemic immunosuppressive therapy; JAK inhibitors may offer a new treatment approach.
- A study with 12 patients showed that systemic diseases were present in 67% of cases, and various JAK inhibitors were administered, with an average treatment duration of 8.6 months.
- Results indicated complete ocular disease control in all patients after treatment, with a significant reduction in the incidence of ocular flares, confirming the efficacy and safety of JAK inhibitors for these conditions.
Article Synopsis
- - The study aimed to assess the frequency of eye-related symptoms in patients with mucous membrane pemphigoid through a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing literature.
- - It analyzed data from 35 studies involving 1,439 patients, revealing that most affected individuals are women around 60 years old, with 90% experiencing bilateral eye issues, and highlighting trichiasis and entropion as the most common symptoms.
- - The findings suggest that while severe complications like visual impairment are less common, they still require attention in patients suspected of having ocular manifestations of mucous membrane pemphigoid.
Article Synopsis
- * In the medical sector, NLP can be used for tasks like extracting data from Electronic Health Records, aiding in clinical decisions, and analyzing medical images, although its real-world use is still limited.
- * As large language models like ChatGPT are becoming more common, it's important for healthcare professionals to stay informed about how NLP technologies work, their benefits, and their limitations.
Clinical Relevance: Glaucoma encompasses a group of eye diseases that progressively damage the optic nerve, leading to vision loss and blindness. Understanding the incidence and demographic distribution is vital for public health planning and patient care.
Background: Previous small-scale studies in Colombia have reported the prevalence of glaucoma in individuals over 40 years between 1.
Managing a patient with uveitis in the era of artificial intelligence: Current approaches, emerging trends, and future perspectives.
Asia Pac J Ophthalmol (Phila)
September 2024
Article Synopsis
- The integration of AI in healthcare is revolutionizing the management of complex conditions like uveitis, which requires specialized knowledge due to its various causes and treatment responses.
- AI's potential in this field includes classifying diseases, analyzing imaging data, predicting outcomes, and identifying new treatments, addressing the shortage of uveitis specialists and improving patient care.
- However, successfully applying AI in clinical settings faces challenges, such as the need for extensive datasets, transparency in algorithms, and real-world validation of these models.
Background: To report a case of coinfection of (Tg) and (EBV) in a diabetic patient with rheumatoid arthritis and immunosuppressive biological therapy.
Case Presentation: A 70-year-old female with a history of rheumatoid arthritis on therapy with corticosteroids, methotrexate, and abatacept presented bilateral granulomatous panuveitis associated with retinal necrosis and macular involvement. A diagnostic vitrectomy detected Tg and EBV.
Infectious uveitis is a major global cause of vision impairment. Despite the eye's immune privilege, afforded by the blood-ocular barrier that restricts microbial entry, several pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites can still infiltrate and cause ocular infections and complications. Clinicians often encounter significant challenges in treating infectious uveitis due to limited or ineffective treatment options.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImpact of HLA-B51 on Uveitis and Retinal Vasculitis: Data from the AIDA International Network Registries on Ocular Inflammatory Disorders.
Ocul Immunol Inflamm
May 2024
Purpose: The clinical relevance of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) subtypes such as HLA-B51 on Behçet's disease (BD)-related uveitis and non-infectious uveitis (NIU) unrelated to BD remains largely unknown.
Methods: Data were prospectively collected from the International AIDA Network Registry for BD and for NIU. We assessed differences between groups (NIU unrelated to BD and positive for HLA-B51, BD-related uveitis positive for HLA-B51 and BD-related uveitis negative for HLA-B51) in terms of long-term ocular complications, visual acuity (VA) measured by best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), anatomical pattern, occurrence of retinal vasculitis (RV) and macular edema over time.
Colombian Ocular Diseases Epidemiology Study (CODES): Prevalence Incidence, and Sociodemographic Characterization of Vision Impairment (2015-2019), A Nationwide Study.
Ophthalmic Epidemiol
May 2024
Purpose: To describe the prevalence, incidence, and sociodemographic characterization of moderate to severe vision impairment (MSVI) and blindness in Colombia based on the National Health Registry Integrated Social Protection Information System (SISPRO) Database.
Methods: We performed a nationwide population-based study using SISPRO and the International Classification of Diseases. Total and new cases were identified to calculate the prevalence and incidence per 100,000 inhabitants of MSVI and blindness between 2015 and 2019.
Early detection of optic nerve head changes using optical coherence tomography after using mesenchymal stromal cells as intravitreal therapy in rabbit models of ocular hypertension.
Vet World
February 2024
Background And Aim: Stem cell therapy is considered a promising treatment for several neurodegenerative diseases. However, there are very few studies on the use of this therapy in glaucoma models. By detecting the changes produced by glaucoma early, cell therapy could help prevent the events that lead to blindness.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To present an atypical case of severe bilateral ocular toxoplasmosis with systemic involvement that initially mimicked an autoimmune etiology, posing challenges to its diagnosis and treatment.
Case Report: A 39-year-old immunocompetent male was admitted to the hospital due to a presumed pulmonary thromboembolism concomitant with an abrupt onset of vision loss. Initial differential diagnoses included antiphospholipid syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus, prompting the administration of corticosteroid pulses and rituximab.
Purpose: To report two cases of non-granulomatous unilateral anterior uveitis in two female patients associated with autoimmune liver diseases (ALD), emphasizing the possibility of this rare coexistence as a polyautoimmunity phenomenon.
Case Descriptions: Case 1: An 18-year-old female with a history of congenital renal hypoplasia and metabolic syndrome presented with anterior uveitis in OS and a history of jaundice, blood elevated hepatic enzymes, and cholangioresonance compatible with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). Laboratory work-up for additional autoimmune and infective causes were within normal limits.
Article Synopsis
- - VEXAS syndrome is a new autoinflammatory disease that often affects various organs, with noticeable inflammatory issues in the eyes and orbits.
- - In a study of 59 VEXAS patients, 45.8% exhibited orbital/ocular problems, with periorbital edema and episcleritis being the most common conditions observed.
- - There is a significant link between relapsing polychondritis and eye involvement in VEXAS, and patients with eye issues showed higher mortality rates, indicating the need for closer monitoring by healthcare providers.
Colombian Ocular Diseases Epidemiology Study (CODES): Prevalence and Sociodemographic Characterization of Refractive Errors in Colombian Eye Care Consultations.
Ophthalmic Epidemiol
March 2024
Purpose: To estimate the prevalence and demographic characteristics of uncorrected refractive errors (URE) in people who attended eye care consultations in Colombia between 2015 and 2019, using the National Health Registry data.
Methods: We identified ICD codes for myopia (H-52.1), degenerative myopia (H-44.