Acute and subacute effect of rheopheresis on microvascular endothelial function in patients suffering from age-related macular degeneration.

This study was performed on seven patients affected by the atrophic form of age-related macular degeneration (AF-ARMD). The patients under investigation belonged to a larger study aimed at evaluating the efficacy of rheopheresis treatment (RT) on the visual function of AF-ARMD patients. Following the protocol of the larger study, patients received RT twice a week, every two weeks, for a total of ten treatments, as well as high-dose supplementation with zinc and vitamins A, E and beta-carotene.

Efficacy of nimesulide in the prevention of inflammatory complications after laser treatment of ocular diseases.

A total of 40 patients with various ocular diseases were treated with nimesulide 200 mg/day or ketoprofen 150 mg/day for 7 days after laser therapy. The incidence of ocular complications was lower in patients treated with nimesulide than with ketoprofen. With regard to posterior segment changes, retinal oedema was reduced in patients treated with nimesulide.

Is taurine a marker for retinitis pigmentosa?

In view of contrary reports in the literature on anomalies of taurine concentration in the blood of retinitis pigmentosa patients, taurine clearance has been determined in 19 patients and 17 controls. No significant difference has been found between the average values of the two populations. The taurine content in cataractous crystalline lenses of retinitis pigmentosa patients has been found higher than the taurine content in lenses with senile cataract, but the same behaviour was also shown by five selected proteogenic amino acids.

Orbital cobalt irradiation combined with retrobulbar or systemic corticosteroids for Graves' ophthalmopathy: a comparative study.

Combined therapy with systemic corticosteroids and orbital cobalt radiotherapy has been shown to be an effective treatment of severe Graves' ophthalmopathy. The potentially serious side-effects of large doses of systemic corticosteroids prompted us to evaluate the use of retrobulbar corticosteroids instead of systemic corticosteroids. Forty-four patients with active Graves' ophthalmopathy were given orbital cobalt irradiation (total dose 2000 rads) and retrobulbar methylprednisolone acetate (14 bilateral injections at 20-30 d intervals).

Orbital cobalt radiotherapy and systemic or retrobulbar corticosteroids for Graves' ophthalmopathy.

Orbital radiotherapy and corticosteroids are two well-established medical treatments for severe Graves' ophthalmopathy. In this report we analyze the results obtained by the combination of orbital radiotherapy and systemic or retrobulbar corticosteroids in patients with severe Graves' ophthalmopathy. Orbital cobalt radiotherapy was carried out by a cobalt unit, delivering a total of 2,000 rads to each eye in 10 daily doses.