Clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of open globe injuries in a North Spain population: a 10-year review.

Objectives: To describe the epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of open globe injuries (OGIs) treated in a tertiary hospital and analyse predictors of visual outcome.

Methods: This retrospective observational study included all patients with OGIs admitted to Cruces University Hospital between 2010 and 2020. The descriptive analysis included demographic data, type of injury classified as "rupture", "penetration", "perforation", or "intraocular foreign body", trauma mechanism and setting, injury zone, Ocular Trauma Score, delay to surgery, length of hospital stay, antibiotic prophylaxis, initial and final best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), complications and further surgery.

Characterisation of corneas following different time and storage methods for their use as a source of stem-like limbal epithelial cells.

The transplantation of expansions of limbal epithelial stem cells (LESC) remains one of the most efficient therapies for the treatment of limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) to date. However, the available donor corneas are scarce, and the corneas conserved for long time, under hypothermic conditions (after 7 days) or in culture (more than 28 days), are usually discarded due to poor viability of the endothelial cells. To establish an objective criterion for the utilisation or discarding of corneas as a source of LESC, we characterized, by immunohistochemistry analysis, donor corneas conserved in different conditions and for different periods of time.

Cytocompatibility and Suitability of Protein-Based Biomaterials as Potential Candidates for Corneal Tissue Engineering.

The vision impairments suffered by millions of people worldwide and the shortage of corneal donors show the need of substitutes that mimic native tissue to promote cell growth and subsequent tissue regeneration. The current study focused on the in vitro assessment of protein-based biomaterials that could be a potential source for corneal scaffolds. Collagen, soy protein isolate (SPI), and gelatin films cross-linked with lactose or citric acid were prepared and physicochemical, transmittance, and degradation measurements were carried out.

Multicentre study: reliability and repeatability of Scheimpflug system measurement in keratoconus.

Purpose: To assess the repeatability and reliability of the most important tomographic parameters for characterising keratoconus measured with a Pentacam HR (high resolution).

Methods: Overall, 230 eyes in 158 patients with keratoconus were analysed. We performed five consecutive corneal tomography examinations for each eye with a Pentacam HR in patients with keratoconus.

Hyaluronic Acid Combined with Serum Rich in Growth Factors in Corneal Epithelial Defects.

The aim of this study is to assess if an adhesive biopolymer, sodium hyaluronate (NaHA), has synergistic effects with s-PRGF (a serum derived from plasma rich in growth factors and a blood derivative that has already shown efficacy in corneal epithelial wound healing), to reduce time of healing or posology. In vitro proliferation and migration studies, both in human corneal epithelial (HCE) cells and in rabbit primary corneal epithelial (RPCE) cultures, were carried out. In addition, we performed studies of corneal wound healing in vivo in rabbits treated with s-PRGF, NaHA, or the combination of both.

Serum from plasma rich in growth factors regenerates rabbit corneas by promoting cell proliferation, migration, differentiation, adhesion and limbal stemness.

Purpose: To evaluate the regenerating potential and the mechanisms through which the autologous serum derived from plasma rich in growth factors (s-PRGF) favours corneal wound healing in vitro and in vivo.

Methods: We compared the effect of various concentrations of s-PRGF versus fetal bovine serum (FBS) and control treatment in rabbit primary corneal epithelial and stromal cells and wounded rabbit corneas. Cell proliferation was measured using an enzymatic colorimetric assay.

Corneal wound healing promoted by 3 blood derivatives: an in vitro and in vivo comparative study.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the effect on corneal wound healing of 3 differently manufactured blood derivatives [autologous serum (AS), platelet-rich plasma, and serum derived from plasma rich in growth factors (s-PRGF)].

Methods: Scratch wound-healing assays were performed on rabbit primary corneal epithelial cultures and human corneal epithelial cells. Additionally, mechanical debridement of rabbit corneal epithelium was performed.

Novel molecular diagnostic system of limbal stem cell deficiency based on MUC5AC transcript detection in corneal epithelium by PCR-reverse dot blot.

Purpose: To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of a PCR-strip system based on reverse dot blot for detection of MUC5AC mRNA in corneal epithelium samples from patients with limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD), and to determine the correlation with clinical diagnosis.

Methods: We obtained 87 corneal impression cytology (IC) samples from 55 subjects (37 patients clinically diagnosed with LSCD and 18 control subjects). Total RNA was extracted from each IC sample and retrotranscribed to cDNA.

In vitro effects of three blood derivatives on human corneal epithelial cells.

Purpose: We compared the effects of three blood derivatives, autologous serum (AS), platelet-rich plasma (PRP), and serum derived from plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF), on a human corneal epithelial (HCE) cell line to evaluate their potential as an effective treatment for corneal epithelial disorders.

Methods: The concentrations of epidermal growth factor (EGF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and fibronectin were quantified by ELISA. The proliferation and viability of HCE cells were measured by an 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) colorimetric assay.

Comparative study of limbal stem cell deficiency diagnosis methods: detection of MUC5AC mRNA and goblet cells in corneal epithelium.

Purpose: To evaluate a limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) diagnosis method based on the detection of the MUC5AC transcript by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in comparison with the standard diagnostic method based on goblet cell detection by periodic acid-Schiff (PAS)-hematoxylin staining, using samples obtained from corneal epithelium impression cytology (IC).

Design: Transversal, comparative case series.

Participants: We studied 59 eyes from 43 patients clinically diagnosed with LSCD.

Plasma rich in growth factors as a therapeutic agent for persistent corneal epithelial defects.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of topically applied autologous plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) as a treatment for persistent epithelial defects (PEDs) of the cornea.

Methods: A series of prospective noncomparative cases.

Participants: Twenty eyes from 18 patients with PED with various underlying etiopathologies: neurogenic, iatrogenic, associated with burning or secondary to severe dry eye.

[Microbiological diagnosis of ocular infections].

The recent increase in the practice of ocular surgery and widespread use of contact lenses have led to an increase in the incidence of severe ocular infections. Inadequate management of these infections can result in irreversible loss of vision. Microbiological diagnosis is essential when the lesions are non-specific, recurrent, or unresponsive to antibiotic therapy, but is hampered by the difficulty of analyzing limited sample volumes containing small inocula.

Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy for refractory ocular cicatricial pemphigoid: case report.

Purpose: To report the favorable outcome of a patient with severe ocular cicatricial pemphigoid, which was refractory to conventional treatment but recovered after intravenous immunoglobulin therapy.

Methods: A case report.

Results: Conventional therapy failed to control the ocular symptoms of this patient, which are typical of the disease.

Use of bortezomib in the management of chronic graft-versus-host disease among multiple myeloma patients relapsing after allogeneic transplantation.

We report on the use of bortezomib for the management of chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD) among 8 multiple myeloma (MM) patients who relapsed after reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) allogeneic transplantation. Five patients (62%) responded to bortezomib demonstrating anti-myeloma effect. Four patients had active cGVHD, including 3 patients with severe punctate keratopathy, at the time of bortezomib administration.