Intraepithelial Sebaceous Gland Carcinoma: A Multicenter Retrospective Case Series.

Purpose: Intraepithelial sebaceous gland carcinoma is a rare form of sebaceous gland carcinoma, with 10 published case reports to date. The authors report the clinical, histological, and prognostic features of this rare carcinoma.

Methods: This is a multicenter retrospective case series of patients from 3 Australian sites.

Vision loss and diabetic retinopathy prevalence and risk among a cohort of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians with type 2 diabetes receiving renal haemodialysis treatment: The retinopathy in people currently on renal dialysis (RiPCORD) study.

Aims: Diabetic nephropathy, vision loss and diabetic retinopathy (DR) are frequent comorbidities among individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The Retinopathy in People Currently On Renal Dialysis (RiPCORD) study sought to examine the epidemiology and risk of vision impairment (VI) and DR among a cohort of Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians with T2D currently receiving haemodialysis for end-stage renal failure (ESRF).

Methods: A total of 106 Indigenous and 109 non-Indigenous Australians were recruited in RiPCORD across five haemodialysis centres in urban and remote settings.

Predictive factors for treatment outcomes with intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injections in diabetic macular edema in clinical practice.

Background: Intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injections are the standard of care for diabetic macular edema (DME), a common complication of diabetes. This study aimed to identify factors influencing DME intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment outcomes in real-world practice.

Methods: This was a multi-center retrospective observational study using medical chart review of participants receiving anti-VEGF injections for DME (N = 248).

Identifying Genetic Biomarkers Predicting Response to Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Injections in Diabetic Macular Edema.

Intraocular anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapies are the front-line treatment for diabetic macular edema (DME); however, treatment response varies widely. This study aimed to identify genetic determinants associated with anti-VEGF treatment response in DME. We performed a genome-wide association study on 220 Australian patients with DME treated with anti-VEGF therapy, genotyped on the Illumina Global Screening Array, and imputed to the Haplotype Reference Consortium panel.

The effect of insulin on response to intravitreal anti-VEGF injection in diabetic macular edema in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Objectives: To assess whether insulin therapy impacts the effectiveness of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injection for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME) in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: This was a retrospective multi-center analysis. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 12 months, BCVA change, central macular thickness (CMT), CMT change, and cumulative injection number were compared between the insulin and the oral hypoglycemic agent (OHA) groups.

Pericytes, inflammation, and diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a frequent complication of diabetes mellitus, and a common cause of vision impairment and blindness in these patients, yet many aspects of its pathogenesis remain unresolved. Furthermore, current treatments are not effective in all patients, are only indicated in advanced disease, and are associated with significant adverse effects. This review describes the microvascular features of DR, and how pericyte depletion and low-grade chronic inflammation contribute to the pathogenesis of this common ophthalmic disorder.

MicroRNA-Related Genetic Variants Are Associated With Diabetic Retinopathy in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.

Purpose: Few studies have explored the association of genetic variants in microRNA genes and binding sites with diabetic retinopathy (DR) in type 1 diabetes. We conducted a genome-wide scan for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in these genes by using data from a genome-wide association study (GWAS).

Methods: All known SNPs were imputed from our GWAS data (n = 325) of DR cases and diabetic controls (no DR).

Mitochondrial haplogroups are not associated with diabetic retinopathy in a large Australian and British Caucasian sample.

Mitochondrial haplogroups H1, H2 and UK have previously been reported to be associated with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) in Caucasian patients with diabetes. We aimed to replicate this finding with a larger sample and expand the analysis to include different severities of DR, and diabetic macular edema (DME). Caucasian participants (n = 2935) with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes from the Australian Registry of Advanced Diabetic Retinopathy were enrolled in this study.

Presence of diabetic retinopathy is associated with worse 10-year mortality among Indigenous Australians in Central Australia: The Central Australian ocular health study.

Importance: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is highly prevalent among Indigenous Australians and contributes greatly to premature death. The association of diabetic retinopathy (DR) with early mortality, however, has not previously been reported among Indigenous Australians.

Background: To investigate associations between 10-y mortality and the presence of DR among Indigenous Australians living in Central Australia.

Visual outcomes following vitrectomy for diabetic retinopathy amongst Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians in South Australia and the Northern Territory.

Importance: Visual outcomes following diabetic vitrectomy have not previously been studied in an Australian population.

Background: This analysis aimed to determine the rate of, and factors associated with visual success following diabetic vitrectomy performed for Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, and investigate factors predisposing to early progression to diabetic retinopathy (DR) requiring vitrectomy.

Design: Retrospective, population-based audit.

Diabetic macular oedema: clinical risk factors and emerging genetic influences.

Diabetic macular oedema is the major cause of visual impairment in type 1 and type 2 diabetes. As type 2 diabetes becomes more prevalent worldwide, the prevalence of diabetic macular oedema is also expected to rise. Current management of diabetic macular oedema is challenging, expensive and not optimal in a subset of patients.

A single-nucleotide polymorphism in the MicroRNA-146a gene is associated with diabetic nephropathy and sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy in Caucasian patients.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate whether the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs2910164 residing within microRNA-146a (miR-146a) is associated with diabetic microvascular complications diabetic nephropathy (DN), proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) or diabetic macular oedema (DME) in either Caucasian patients with type 1 (T1DM) or type 2 (T2DM) diabetes mellitus.

Methods: Caucasian patients with T1DM (n = 733) or T2DM (n = 2215) were recruited from ophthalmology, renal and endocrine clinics in Australia and the UK. Patients with T2DM were required to have diabetes mellitus (DM) for at least 5 years and be on treatment with oral hypoglycaemic drugs or insulin.

Role of microglia and toll-like receptor 4 in the pathophysiology of delirium.

Delirium is a serious medical condition that commonly afflicts elderly inpatients. This is especially common in the post-operative setting where it increases mortality, length of hospital stay and health care costs. The exact mechanisms involved in its pathogenesis remain uncertain and there is currently no effective pharmacological therapy for treatment or prevention of delirium.