Efficacy and tolerability of subcutaneous repository corticotropin injection in refractory ocular inflammatory diseases.

Background: Repository corticotropin injection (RCI) has been suggested to exert immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects in ocular inflammation. The index retrospective study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of subcutaneous RCI in patients with active scleritis or uveitis.

Main Body: Medical records of patients who were diagnosed with different types of active scleritis or uveitis and received RCI for more than six months at a tertiary eye center were reviewed.

A preliminary study of carbon dioxide and methane emissions from patchy tropical seagrass meadows in Thailand.

Background: Seagrass meadows are a significant blue carbon sink due to their ability to store large amounts of carbon within sediment. However, the knowledge of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from seagrass meadows is limited, especially from meadows in the tropical region. Therefore, in this study, CO and CH emissions and carbon metabolism were studied at a tropical seagrass meadow under various conditions.

Wild-caught adult black flies (Diptera: Simuliidae) from various ecological landscapes in Malaysia.

Most studies on black flies focus on the taxonomy and ecology of their aquatic stages. Despite posing a public health threat, the adults remain poorly studied in many countries, including Malaysia. The present study represents the first investigation of the distribution of wild-caught black flies from various ecological landscapes and climatic conditions in Malaysia.

Reply.

We wrote the letter in response to the insightful comments made by Dr. Vassallo J regarding our recently published study, “Association of Oral Montelukast with Reduced Odds of Developing Exudative Age-Related Macular Degeneration.” Our study underscored the potential treatment for AMD through managing mast cell activation.

Health and wellbeing of staff working at higher education institutions globally during the post-COVID-19 pandemic period: evidence from a cross-sectional study.

Background: The ongoing global crisis of Higher Education (HE) institutions during the post-COVID-19 pandemic period has increased the likelihood of enduring psychological stressors for staff. This study aimed to identify factors associated with job insecurity, burnout, psychological distress and coping amongst staff working at HE institutions globally.

Methods: An anonymous cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023 with staff at HE institutions across 16 countries.

ASSOCIATION OF ORAL MONTELUKAST WITH REDUCED ODDS OF DEVELOPING EXUDATIVE AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION.

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the association of oral montelukast, selective antagonism for cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1, with reduced odds of exudative age-related macular degeneration (exAMD) development.

Methods: This case-control study was conducted using institutional cohort finder tool, and included 1913 patients with exAMD (ICD: H35.32 and 362.

Evaluation of correlation between Diopsys® NOVA™ fixed-luminance flicker ERG and Diagnosys® Espion 2™ flicker ERG parameters.

Purpose: Diopsys® NOVA™ is a novel full-field electroretinography (ffERG) device that can make rapid measurements of retinal electrophysiologic function. Diagnosys® Espion 2™ is a clinical gold-standard ERG device. This study aimed to investigate whether light-adapted Diopsys® NOVA™ fixed-luminance flicker ffERG magnitude and implicit time (converted from phase) measurements correlate with light-adapted Diagnosys® Espion 2™ flicker ffERG amplitude and implicit time measurements, respectively.

Posterior Segment Ocular Findings in HLA-B27 Positive Patients with Uveitis: A Retrospective Analysis.

Purpose: To describe the prevalence and characteristics of posterior segment manifestations in patients with HLA-B27-associated uveitis using wide field imaging.

Methods: Medical records of patients diagnosed with HLA-B27-associated uveitis from a tertiary uveitis clinic were reviewed. Posterior segment involvements including but not limited to peripheral vasculitis, optic disc inflammation, and macula edema documented based on medical records and various imaging modalities including wide field fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography, were noted.

Fundus topographical distribution patterns of ocular toxoplasmosis.

Background: To establish topographic maps and determine fundus distribution patterns of ocular toxoplasmosis (OT) lesions.

Methods: In this retrospective study, patients who presented with OT to ophthalmology clinics from four countries (Argentina, Turkey, UK, USA) were included. Size, shape and location of primary (1°)/recurrent (2°) and active/inactive lesions were converted into a two-dimensional retinal chart by a retinal drawing software.

Measuring the patient safety culture at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan using the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC).

Background: Patient safety is a top priority for many healthcare organisations worldwide. However, most of the initiatives aimed at the measurement and improvement of patient safety culture have been undertaken in developed countries. The purpose of this study was to measure the patient safety culture at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan using the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC).

Acute idiopathic blind spot enlargement syndrome (AIBSES) with retinal vasculitis.

Purpose: To report the clinical and anatomical features of an unusual case of acute idiopathic blind spot enlargement syndrome (AIBSES) with retinal vasculitis.

Observations: A 39-year-old patient, who was a known case of chronic headache with nonspecific visual symptoms for nine years, developed scotomas in her right eye. She was initially diagnosed with AIBSES which had been stable, but later worsened with symptoms of subsequent blind spot enlargement and photopsia on the left eye a year later.

Efficacy and Safety of Tocilizumab in the Management of Non-Infectious Uveitis Failed with Conventional Immunomodulatory and Anti-TNFα Therapies.

Purpose: To determine the outcomes of intravenous (IV) tocilizumab (TCZ) in patients with non-infectious uveitis who failed with conventional immunomodulatory and anti-TNFα therapies.

Methods: Records of seven patients with non-infectious uveitis treated with monthly IV TCZ (4-10 mg/kg) or biweekly IV TCZ (8 mg/kg) were reviewed. Outcome measures were changes in visual acuity, anterior chamber cell and flare grade, vitreous haze, central subfield thickness (CST), and fluorescein angiography (FA) score.

Six-month outcomes of infliximab and tocilizumab therapy in non-infectious retinal vasculitis.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of infliximab (IFX, 5-10 mg/kg) (Group 1) and tocilizumab (TCZ, 4-8 mg/kg) (Group 2) infusions in non-infectious retinal vasculitis (RV) using Angiographic Scoring for the Uveitis Working Group fluorescein angiography (FA) scoring system.

Methods: Records of 14 patients (24 eyes) in Group 1 and 8 patients (11 eyes) in Group 2 were retrospectively evaluated to assess visual acuity (VA), anterior chamber cell and flare, vitreous haze, central subfield thickness (CST), and FA scoring at baseline and 6 months of follow-up. The measurements were employed to grade in each group.

Bilateral retinal vasculitis associated with cold agglutinin disease treated with obinutuzumab and infliximab.

Purpose: To describe the clinical course and management of a patient with bilateral retinal vasculitis associated with cold agglutinin disease (CAD) treated with obinutuzumab and infliximab.

Observations: A 69-year-old Hispanic woman was referred to a tertiary Uveitis Clinic with progressively worsening blurry vision, right eye (OD) worse than left eye (OS). Past ocular history was significant for epiretinal membranes in both eyes (OU).

Longitudinal Comparative Analysis of Semi-Automated Aqueous Flare Measurements with Clinical Grading and Visual Outcomes in Uveitic Eyes.

Purpose: To evaluate the correlation between longitudinal changes in aqueous flare measured by laser flare photometer (LFP), best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), and clinical grade using both Standardization of Uveitis Nomenclature (SUN) and modified SUN (MSUN) scales uveitis patients.

Methods: Patients were classified according to both SUN and MSUN grading scales. LFP measurements were acquired (Kowa FM-700) at each visit.

Reflectance adaptive optics findings in a patient with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease.

Purpose: To describe the reflectance adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (AOSLO) findings in different stages of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease and correlate them to visual gain post treatment. Confocal (cAOSLO) and non-confocal split-detector AOSLO (sdAOSLO) were used to assess longitudinally the status of the photoreceptors in a patient with VKH managed on corticosteroid and immunomodulatory therapy.

Observation: A 32-year-old Japanese American female presented with a 2-week history of blurred vision in both eyes (OU) and worsening headache previously diagnosed as a case of VKH and treated with high dose oral prednisone.

Efficacy and safety of intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy in diabetic retinopathy: what we have learned and what should we learn further?

Introduction: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the most frequent microvascular complications of diabetes that can lead to blindness. Laser treatment has been the gold standard treatment for diabetic macular edema (DME) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) for many years. Recently, the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been established in the pathogenesis of DR, and the use of intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy has gained popularity for the management of DR.

Utilisation of composite endpoint outcome to assess efficacy of tocilizumab for non-infectious uveitis in the STOP-Uveitis Study.

Background/aims: To use a composite endpoint scoring system in assessing efficacy of two doses of intravenous tocilizumab (TCZ), in eyes with non-infectious uveitis.

Methods: Data from STOP-Uveitis Study (a phase 2 multicentre, randomised, interventional clinical trial), where monthly intravenous infusions of 4 mg/kg (Group 1) or 8 mg/kg (Group 2) TCZ until month 6 (M6) were administered, were used. Efficacy was ascertained by a composite endpoint scoring system consisting of: (1) visual acuity; (2) intraocular inflammation; (3) central retinal thickness; (4) posterior segment inflammation on fluorescein angiographic and (5) steroid taper.

Metastable Brominated Nanodiamond Surface Enables Room Temperature and Catalysis-Free Amine Chemistry.

Bromination of high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) nanodiamond (ND) surfaces has not been explored and can open new avenues for increased chemical reactivity and diamond lattice covalent bond formation. The large bond dissociation energy of the diamond lattice-oxygen bond is a challenge that prevents new bonds from forming, and most researchers simply use oxygen-terminated NDs (alcohols and acids) as reactive species. In this work, we transformed a tertiary-alcohol-rich ND surface to an amine surface with ∼50% surface coverage and was limited by the initial rate of bromination.

Correlation of Clinical Aqueous Flare Grading to Semi-Automated Flare Measurements Using Laser Flare Photometry.

Purpose: To compare laser flare photometry (LFP) measurements of aqueous flare with Standardization of Uveitis Nomenclature (SUN) and modified SUN grading.

Methods: In this prospective study with multicenter design, uveitis patients were classified according to SUN and modified SUN grading scales. LFP was performed with Kowa FM-700 flaremeter.