Morphometric analysis of extraocular muscles and proptosis by computed tomography in Graves' orbitopathy.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of changes on computed tomography (CT) in Graves' orbitopathy (GO) and to correlate those changes with disease activity, as well as with clinical and biochemical variables.

Materials And Methods: This was a retrospective study, conducted at a tertiary hospital, of clinical, biochemical, and imaging data from consecutive patients with GO who underwent at least one orbital CT scan between July 2012 and December 2020. A single observer quantified the thickness of the extraocular muscles and the degree of proptosis.

External Validation of a Model to Predict Postoperative Globe Axial Length in Children After Bilateral Cataract Surgery.

Purpose: To perform the external validation of a model to predict postoperative axial length (AL) in children over 2 years of age who were undergoing bilateral cataract surgery with primary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation.

Design: Validation study using a retrospective case series.

Methods: Using a population different from the one that created the model, but with the same characteristics regarding age, bilateral cataract, primary IOL implantation, and follow-up assessment, AL was estimated.

Probiotics for the treatment of depression and anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background & Aim: Probiotics in the gut have been suggested to have a beneficial effect on anxiety response and depressive disorder. Hence we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize the effects of probiotics associated with or without pharmacological or psychological therapies in patients with depressive and/or anxiety symptoms or disorders.

Methods: We conducted searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, PsycINFO, CINAHL, ProQuest, LILACS, and Web of Science up to February 2020 to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the efficacy of probiotics associated with or without pharmacological or psychological therapies for patient-important outcomes including relief of depressive, anxiety and stress symptoms, cognitive functions, adverse events and quality of life.

Probing for congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

Purpose: Lacrimal probing is the treatment of choice for congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction that does not have a spontaneous resolution; however, there is no consensus about the best time for probing and if it is superior to other therapies. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of lacrimal probing compared with other treatments/no intervention to treat congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction.

Methods: A systematic review of literature in PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL, clinicaltrials.

Monotherapy laser photocoagulation for diabetic macular oedema.

Background: Diabetic macular oedema (DMO) is a complication of diabetic retinopathy and one of the most common causes of visual impairment in people with diabetes. Clinically significant macular oedema (CSMO) is the most severe form of DMO. Intravitreal antiangiogenic therapy is now the standard treatment for DMO involving the centre of the macula, but laser photocoagulation is still used in milder or non-central DMO.

The ROPScore as a Screening Algorithm for Predicting Retinopathy of Prematurity in a Brazilian Population.

Objectives: To evaluate the accuracy of the ROPScore algorithm as a predictor of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

Methods: A prospective cohort of 220 preterm infants with a birth weight ≤1500 g and/or gestational age ≤32 weeks was included. The ROPScore was determined in the sixth week of life in 181 infants who then survived until a corrected gestational age of 45 weeks.

Systematic survey of randomized trials evaluating the impact of alternative diagnostic strategies on patient-important outcomes.

Objectives: To provide a perspective on the current practice of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of diagnostic strategies focusing on patient-important outcomes.

Study Design And Setting: We conducted a comprehensive search of MEDLINE and included RCTs published in full-text reports that evaluated alternative diagnostic strategies.

Results: Of 56,912 unique citations, we sampled 7,500 and included 103 eligible RCTs, therefore suggesting that MEDLINE includes approximately 781 diagnostic RCTs.

Integrated versus non-integrated orbital implants for treating anophthalmic sockets.

Background: Anophthalmia is the absence of one or both eyes, and it can be congenital (i.e. a birth defect) or acquired later in life.

Differences between the real and the desired worlds in the results of clinical trials.

Objective: We refer to the effectiveness (known as pragmatic or real world) and efficacy (known as explanatory or desired or ideal world) of interventions. However, these terms seem to be randomly chosen by investigators who design clinical trials and do not always reflect the true purpose of the study. A pragmatic-explanatory continuum indicator summary tool was thus developed with the aim of identifying the characteristics of clinical trials that distinguish between effectiveness and efficacy issues.

Zinc supplementation for the prevention of type 2 diabetes mellitus in adults with insulin resistance.

Background: Diabetes is associated with long-term damage, dysfunction and failure of various organs, especially the eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart and blood vessels. The risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases with age, obesity and lack of physical activity. Insulin resistance is a fundamental aspect of the aetiology of type 2 diabetes.

Early light reduction for preventing retinopathy of prematurity in very low birth weight infants.

Background: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a complex condition of the developing retinal blood vessels and is one of the leading causes of preventable childhood blindness. Several risk factors for ROP have been studied over the past 50 years. Among them, general immaturity (low birth weight and low gestational age) and prolonged oxygen therapy have been consistently related to disease onset.

Systematic reviews showed insufficient evidence for clinical practice in 2004: what about in 2011? The next appeal for the evidence-based medicine age.

Rationale And Aim: The aims of the Cochrane systematic reviews are to make readily available and up-to-date information for clinical practice, offering consistent evidence and straightforward recommendations. In 2004, we evaluated the conclusions from Cochrane systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials in terms of their recommendations for clinical practice and found that 47.83% of them had insufficient evidence for use in clinical practice.