Intraocular pressure, primary open-angle glaucoma and the risk of retinal vein occlusion: A Mendelian randomization mediation analysis.

Background: The etiological connection between intraocular pressure (IOP) and the risk of retinal vein occlusion (RVO) remains elusive, particularly regarding whether this risk emanates from the direct influence of elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), irrespective of the presence of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), or if it arises as a consequence of the sequelae of POAG. Therefore, we conducted a Mendelian Randomization (MR) mediation analysis to elucidate the mediating role of POAG in the association between IOP and RVO.

Methods: We identified 47 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with IOP (P-value < 5 × 10) leveraging data from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) (N = 97,653) obtained from the UK Biobank and 50 SNPs associated with POAG (P-value < 5 × 10) from a GWAS meta-analysis (16,677 cases and 199,580 controls).

Central corneal thickness and the risk of primary open-angle glaucoma: a Mendelian randomisation mediation analysis.

Background: The association of central corneal thickness (CCT) with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) remains uncertain. Although several observational studies assessing this relationship have reported an inverse association between CCT and POAG, this could be the result of collider bias. In this study, we leveraged human genetic data to assess through Mendelian randomisation (MR) the effect of CCT on POAG risk and whether this effect is mediated by intraocular pressure (IOP) changes.

Bilateral Late-Onset Pigment Dispersion Syndrome following Implantable Collamer Lens Surgery: A Case Report.

Introduction: We report a case of bilateral pigment dispersion syndrome after 13 years of uncomplicated implantable collamer lens (ICL) surgery.

Case Presentation: A 53-year-old woman was referred from her optometrist to our glaucoma clinic due to early superonasal visual field loss in both eyes. She was asymptomatic with no changes in visual acuity and had undergone bilateral ICL implantation 13 years ago to correct her high myopia.

Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Changes in Patients Diagnosed With Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the association between optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) parameters and acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Two independent reviewers searched the electronic databases (MEDLINE (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online), Scopus, Embase (Excerpta Medica Database), Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, and World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform) from inception until April 2023.

Associations of Dietary Factors with Cutaneous Melanoma: A Case-Control Study in Greece with Literature Review.

Introduction: It has been postulated that nutrition may influence the risk for cutaneous melanoma (CM); therefore, we aimed to assess the associations of food groups and individual nutrient intakes with CM in a Greek population.

Methods: In this case-control study, 151 patients with histologically confirmed CM, newly diagnosed and treated in the Oncology Department of the "Laikon" University Hospital (Athens, Greece), and 151 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals residing in the Athens metropolitan area, recruited among participants for routine health examinations, were included. All participants completed a questionnaire comprising anthropometric measurements, sociodemographic, lifestyle, and health-related variables.

Cannabis use and the risk of primary open-angle glaucoma: a Mendelian randomization study.

Several observational studies have investigated the association between cannabis use and intraocular pressure, but its association with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) remains unclear. In this study, we leveraged human genetic data to assess through Mendelian randomization (MR) whether cannabis use affects POAG. We used five single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with lifetime cannabis use (P-value < 5 × 10) from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) (N = 184,765) by the International Cannabis Consortium, 23andMe, and UK Biobank and eleven SNPs associated with cannabis use disorder (P-value < 5 × 10) from a GWAS meta-analysis of (17,068 cases and 357,219 controls of European descent) from Psychiatric Genomics Consortium Substance Use Disorders working group, Lundbeck Foundation Initiative for Integrative Psychiatric Research, and deCode.

Correlation Between Coronary and Retinal Microangiopathy in Patients With STEMI.

Purpose: To investigate the morphological and functional correlation between microvascular retinal changes in optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and the microvascular coronary circulation in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) coronary heart disease (CHD).

Methods: A total of 330 eyes from 165 participants (88 cases and 77 controls) were enrolled and imaged. Superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) vascular density was measured in the central (1 mm) and perifoveal (1-3 mm) areas and in the superficial foveal avascular zone (FAZ) and choriocapillaris (3 mm).

A closed-loop audit of the prescription practice of topical antibiotics for acute infective conjunctivitis.

The implementation of guideline recommendations for antibiotics prescription for the management of patients with acute infective conjunctivitis (AIC) in primary care departments remains below par. Our objective was to assess the impact of clinical audit on adherence to evidence-based indications for prescription of antibiotic eye drops in patients diagnosed with AIC, in the setting of a primary care practice in western Greece. We conducted a retrospective audit to evaluate the current prescription practice of antibiotics for the management of AIC.

The Multifarious Effects of Various Glaucoma Pharmacotherapy on Corneal Endothelium: A Narrative Review.

Corneal endothelium is a single cell layer that is mainly responsible for maintaining corneal clarity. Endothelial damage secondary to toxicity, stress, or genetic predisposition are common and in conjunction with the low regenerative ability of the cells, making their preservation critical for maintaining visual acuity. Patients with glaucoma, who are estimated to be close to 80 million worldwide, have a plethora of reasons for developing endothelial damage, being exposed to a spectrum that extends from various medical and surgical interventions to the disease itself.

The Effect of the Water Drinking Test on Ocular Parameters and Choroidal Thickness in Glaucoma Suspects.

: We aimed to evaluate the effects of the water drinking test (WDT) on several systemic and ocular parameters, including choroidal thickness, which was assessed through optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), in glaucoma suspects. : A total of 40 eyes from 20 glaucoma suspects without any systemic or ocular diseases were included in this prospective observational study. All the participants undertook the WDT, which required the drinking of 1 L of table water in 5 min.

Optical coherence tomography angiography in Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: To examine the association between optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) retinal measurements and Parkinson's disease (PD).

Methods: We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE from inception up to November 5th, 2021 for studies examining the differences between OCTA retinal measurements in PD patients and healthy controls. We used the Hartung-Knapp-Sidik-Jonkman random-effects method to combine study-specific standardized mean differences (SMD) in pooled effect estimates and a meta-analytic extension of the E-value metric to quantify the confounding bias capable of nullifying the pooled estimates.

UGH Syndrome Resolution after IOL Explantation and Concomitant Carlevale IOL Implantation.

Objective: To examine the use of Carlevale IOL placement in patients with UGH, and to evaluate surgical outcomes.

Design: In this retrospective study, 28 patients with UGH syndrome that were subjected to IOL explantation and concomitant Carlevale IOL implantation were included in the study.

Methods: Information about VA, IOP, number of glaucoma medication, need for glaucoma surgery, presence of hemorrhage and inflammation were recorded up to 6 months after the procedure.

Nutritional Status at Diagnosis as Predictor of Survival from Childhood Cancer: A Review of the Literature.

Few studies so far have examined the impact of nutritional status on the survival of children with cancer, with the majority of them focusing on hematological malignancies. We summarized published evidence reporting the association of nutritional status at diagnosis with overall survival (OS), event-free survival (EFS), relapse, and treatment-related toxicity (TRT) in children with cancer. Published studies on children with leukemia, lymphoma, and other solid tumors have shown that both under-nourished and over-nourished children at cancer diagnosis had worse OS and EFS.

Tocilizumab versus baricitinib in hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19: an open label, randomized controlled trial.

Objective: Randomized controlled trials comparing tocilizumab and baricitinib in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are needed. This was an open-label, randomized controlled trial aiming to address this unmet need.

Methods: To determine whether baricitinib was non-inferior to tocilizumab, we assessed whether the upper boundary of the two-sided 95% CI of the hazard ratio (HR) did not exceed 1.

Two Year Randomized Prospective Comparison of Ahmed Valve Versus Baerveldt Implant in Vitrectomized Eyes.

Prcis: Ahmed Valve and Baerveldt shunt are efficacious options in vitrectomized eyes. Baerveldt implant achieves a lower mean intraocular pressure (IOP) at 2 years, with fewer medications and a higher percentage of medication-free patients.

Purpose: To investigate and compare the efficacy and complications between Ahmed FP7 Glaucoma Valve (AGV) and Baerveldt 101-350 Glaucoma Implant (BGI) in vitrectomized eyes.

Prediction of type 2 diabetes mellitus based on nutrition data.

Numerous predictive models for the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) exist, but a minority of them has implemented nutrition data so far, even though the significant effect of nutrition on the pathogenesis, prevention and management of T2DM has been established. Thus, in the present study, we aimed to build a predictive model for the risk of T2DM that incorporates nutrition data and calculates its predictive performance. We analysed cross-sectional data from 1591 individuals from the population-based Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg (KORA) FF4 study (2013-14) and used a bootstrap enhanced elastic net penalised multivariate regression method in order to build our predictive model and select among 193 food intake variables.

Optical coherence tomography angiography in Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: To assess the association between optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) retinal measurements and Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Methods: We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE from inception up to October 28th, 2020 for studies assessing the association between OCTA retinal measurements and AD. Estimates from eligible studies were meta-analysed and pooled standardized mean differences (SMDs) between AD patients and healthy participants with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated, using the Hartung-Knapp/Sidik-Jonkman random-effects method.

Association between cardiorespiratory fitness and handgrip strength with age-related macular degeneration: a population-based study.

Aim: To assess whether cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and handgrip strength, two objective markers of physical fitness, are associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods: We analysed cross-sectional data from the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania (2008-2012) including 1173 adult men and women aged 20-79 years. Fundus photography of the central retina was recorded with a non-mydriatic camera, and images were graded according to an established clinical AMD classification scale by an experienced reader.

Gender-affirming hormone treatment and cognitive function in transgender young adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Previous studies have examined whether steroid hormone treatment in transgender individuals may affect cognitive function; yet, their limited power does not allow firm conclusions to be drawn. We leveraged data from to-date literature aiming to explore the effect of gender-affirming hormone administration on cognitive function in transgender individuals.

Methods: A search strategy of MEDLINE was developed (through June 1, 2019) using the key terms transgender, hormone therapy and cognitive function.

The Association Between Polypharmacy and Physical Function in Older Adults: a Systematic Review.

Background: Reduced physical function and polypharmacy (PPha) are two highly prevalent negative effects of aging, which are expected to increase more, since demographic aging is expected to grow rapidly within the next decades. Previous research suggests that polypharmacy (PPha) is a predictor of poor physical function and vice versa in older adults and therefore we conducted a systematic review of the literature to summarize and critically analyze the relationship between physical function and PPha and vice versa in older adults, in order to provide recent scientific evidence.

Methods: We searched MEDLINE and Embase from their inception to 19th October 2018 for English-language observational studies or trials assessing the effect of PPha on physical function and vice versa in older adults.