Retinal pigment epithelium, age-related macular degeneration and neurotrophic keratouveitis.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of impaired vision and blindness in the aging population. The aims of our studies were to identify qualitative and quantitative alterations in mitochondria in human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) from AMD patients and controls and to test the protective effects of pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), a known neurotrophic and antiangiogenic substance, against neurotrophic keratouveitis. Histopathological alterations were studied by means of morphometry, light and electron microscopy.

[Role of gastrointestinal inflammations in the development and treatment of depression].

Recent studies have revealed that inflammation, among other factors, may be involved in the pathogenesis of depression. One line of studies has shown that depression is frequently associated with manifest gastrointestinal inflammations and autoimmune diseases as well as with cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, type 2-diabetes and also cancer, in which chronic low-grade inflammation is a significant contributing factor. Thus depression may be a neuropsychiatric manifestation of a chronic inflammatory syndrome.

Correlation between spectral-domain optical coherence tomography findings and visual outcome after primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment repair.

Purpose: To correlate the postoperative visual outcome with the spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) findings in the fovea after successful rhegmatogenous retinal detachment repair. Cross-sectional, observational study.

Methods: Thirty-five patients with preoperative macula-on rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (12 eyes) and macula-off rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (23 eyes) who underwent scleral buckling surgery for primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment were recruited.

[Cod liver oil. A natural Vitamin D for preserving health].

Vitamin D deficiency is pandemic in industrialized countries due to life-style changes. Recent studies suggest that besides bone-metabolism, vitamin D plays a central role in basic cell function like multiplication, differentiation and metabolism. This may explain that low vitamin D levels represent a risk factor for several apparently different diseases such as infective, autoimmune, neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases, as well as diabetes, osteoporosis and cancer.

Choroidopathy in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus with or without nephropathy.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate indocyanine green angiographic findings in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with or without lupus nephritis. In particular, the presence of choroidal abnormalities at indocyanine green angiography (ICG-A) that could not be detected by fluorescein angiography (FAG) was investigated.

Methods: Sixteen patients with SLE underwent simultaneous ICG-A and FAG.

Combined intravitreal ranibizumab and verteporfin photodynamic therapy versus ranibizumab alone for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To compare same-day combined therapy of photodynamic therapy with verteporfin (PDT-V) and intravitreal ranibizumab versus monotherapy with ranibizumab for the treatment of choroidal neovascularization.

Methods: IN THIS PROSPECTIVE STUDY, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF EYES WAS RANDOMIZED INTO TWO GROUPS: in the first, treatment consisted of a combined therapy of PDT-V and ranibizumab 0.5 mg on the same day; in the second, ranibizumab 0.

Choroidal neovascularization in pathologic myopia: intravitreal ranibizumab versus bevacizumab--a randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: To compare the short-term efficacy and safety of intravitreal ranibizumab versus bevacizumab in treating myopic choroidal neovascularization (CNV).

Design: Prospective, comparative, randomized, interventional study.

Methods: Thirty-two eyes from 32 patients with myopic CNV were consecutively enrolled and randomly treated, in a 1:1 ratio, with intravitreal ranibizumab (0.

Photorefractive keratectomy in the management of refractive accommodative esotropia in young adult patients.

Purpose: To evaluate the visual, motor, and sensory outcomes of photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) in the treatment of purely refractive accommodative esotropia in young adult patients.

Setting: Policlinico Umberto I, Department of Ophthalmology, Rome, Italy.

Methods: This prospective study comprised patients with hyperopia and purely accommodative hyperopic esotropia.

Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) attenuated capsaicin-induced neurotrophic keratouveitis.

Purpose: To reveal the influence of retrobulbar capsaicin treatment on rats' eyes and to test the protective effects of PEDF, a known neurotrophic and antiangiogenic substance, against neurotrophic keratouveitis.

Methods: A single retrobulbar injection of capsaicin (50 mg/kg) was performed in young rats, and the effect of subsequent retrobulbar injections of PEDF 3.2 or 6.

Intravitreal bevacizumab as primary treatment for retinal angiomatous proliferation: twelve-month results.

Purpose: To evaluate the short-term efficacy and safety of intravitreal bevacizumab for the treatment of retinal angiomatous proliferation.

Methods: Seventeen eyes from 16 patients with newly diagnosed retinal angiomatous proliferation underwent intravitreal injections of bevacizumab, 1.25 mg.

Intravitreal bevacizumab treatment for choroidal neovascularization in pathologic myopia: 12-month results.

Purpose: To evaluate the short-term efficacy and safety of intravitreal bevacizumab for the treatment of myopic choroidal neovascularization (CNV).

Design: Prospective, nonrandomized, interventional case series.

Methods: Twenty eyes from 20 patients with CNV secondary to pathologic myopia participated in this prospective nonrandomized interventional case series.

[Metabolic therapy for early treatment of age-related macular degeneration].

Currently, age-related macular degeneration is one of the most common eye diseases causing severe and permanent loss of vision. This disease is estimated to affect approximately 300-500 thousand Hungarians. While earlier no treatment was available, in the recent decade an antioxidant therapy became very popular using combinations of high dosage antioxidant vitamins C, E, beta carotene and zinc.

Indocyanine green angiographic findings for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus nephropathy.

Purpose: To study indocyanine green (ICG) angiographic findings for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) nephropathy. In particular, the presence of choroidal abnormalities at ICG angiography, which could not be detected by fluorescein angiography, was studied.

Design: Observational case report study.

An instrument for biofeedback applied to vision.

One hundred and ten patients (179 eyes) with reduced visual acuity caused by different ocular disorders underwent visual rehabilitation with an instrument for biofeedback: improved biofeedback integrated system (Ibis). One hundred and fourteen eyes had age-related macular degeneration, 39 eyes had myopic macular degeneration, and 26 eyes were affected by different ocular disorders. A placebo training was developed on 34 patients (47 eyes).

Mitochondrial alterations of retinal pigment epithelium in age-related macular degeneration.

Mitochondrial dysfunctions have been implicated in the pathophysiology of several age-related diseases including age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting primarily the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). The aims of our electron microscopic and morphometric studies were to reveal qualitative and quantitative alterations of mitochondria in human RPE from AMD and from age- and sex-matched controls. With increasing age a significant decrease in number and area of mitochondria, as well as loss of cristae and matrix density were found in both AMD and control specimens.

The human choriocapillaris: evidence for an intrinsic regulation of the endothelium?

The aim of the present study was to describe the ultrastructure of particular cells observed in the microvascular bed of the healthy human choroid, in close relation to the wall of the microvessels and resembling the periadventitial cells of other vascular areas of the human body. Serial sections of 12 fresh human eyes were studied by transmission electron microscopy. In all the eyes, the sections were obtained by cutting from the same zones (inner and outer choroid at the posterior pole of the eye).

Evaluation of five elements in lenses and aqueous humour of experimental rabbits after induced opacity.

We evaluated the presence of Ca, Na, K, Cu and Zn in the lenses and aqueous humour of rabbits treated with an Nd:YAG laser to induce opacity of the crystalline. The mean concentrations of the elements found in control lenses were: Ca: 15.8+/-5.

Acute electroretinographic changes during sildenafil (Viagra) treatment for erectile dysfunction.

The authors describe their findings on 12 subjects who were treated with 50 mg of sildenafil (Viagra) and underwent ERG measurements prior to and 1 hour after ingestion. The Naka-Rushton equation was used to describe the b-wave luminance-response function of the scotopic ERG. Statistically significant differences were noted in the Vmax and K values.

Indocyanine green angiographic findings in systemic lupus erythematosus choroidopathy.

Purpose: To report two patients affected with systemic lupus erythematosus choroidopathy studied with combined fluorescein angiography and indocyanine green angiography. In particular, the presence of choroidal abnormalities at indocyanine green angiography, which could not be detected by fluorescein angiography, was studied.

Design: Observational case reports.