Repeatability and reproducibility of corneal biomechanical parameters derived from Corvis ST.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate repeatability and reproducibility of newly calculated biomechanical parameters of the cornea, developed by our research group.

Methods: One eye from each of the 23 healthy subjects was measured three times consecutively, three times at different daytimes and on three different days. The within-subject standard deviation and coefficient of variation, as well as the intraclass correlation coefficient, were calculated for every parameter in each group.

CROP - The Clinico-Radiologico-Ophthalmological Paradox in Multiple Sclerosis: Are Patterns of Retinal and MRI Changes Heterogeneous and Thus Not Predictable?

Background: To date, no direct scientific evidence has been found linking tissue changes in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, such as demyelination, axonal destruction or gliosis, with either steady progression and/or stepwise accumulation of focal CNS lesions. Tissue changes such as reduction of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and the total macular volume (TMV), or brain- and spinal cord atrophy indicates an irreversible stage of tissue destruction. Whether these changes are found in all MS patients, and if there is a correlation with clinical disease state, remains controversial.

Corrigendum: "High-Resolution Spectral Domain-Optical Coherence Tomography in Multiple Sclerosis, Part II - The Total Macular Volume. The First Follow-Up Study Over 2 Years".

[This corrects the article on p. 20 in vol. 5, PMID: 24605107.

Detection of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Defects in Alzheimer's Disease Using SD-OCT.

Introduction: Our aim is to examine the clinical value of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (Spectralis OCT) to detect retinal nerve fibre layer defects in patients with clinically defined Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Material And Methods: This cross-sectional study included 22 patients with AD (mean age: 75.9 ± 6.

High-Resolution Spectral Domain-Optical Coherence Tomography in Multiple Sclerosis, Part II - the Total Macular Volume. The First Follow-Up Study over 2 Years.

Background: Recent studies investigating the use of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients have resulted in wide-ranging and often contradictory outcomes. This is mainly due to the complex etiology and heterogeneity of MS, physiological variations in the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and/or total macular volume (TMV), and limitations in methodology. It remains to be discovered whether any retinal changes in MS develop continuously or in a stepwise fashion, and whether these changes occur in all or a subset of patients.

Comparison of visual evoked potentials and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in Alzheimer's disease.

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a long term progressive neurodegenerative disease and might affect the retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) of the eye. There is increasing evidence that visual evoked potentials (VEP), which are an objective way to indicate visual field loss, might be affected by the disease as well.

Materials And Methods: About 22 patients (mean age: 75.

Comparison of VEP with contrast sensitivity and other measurements of central visual function.

Purpose: In order to evaluate alternative visual acuity testing techniques, especially to discriminate between small changes and for high visual acuity, we conducted a study covering several state-of-the-art techniques.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a homogeneous cohort of healthy and young patients (n = 33; 66 eyes) underwent ETDRS vision acuity (VA) testing, testing for contrast sensitivity (CS), VA determination with spatial frequency sweep visual evoked potentials (VEP) and a series of examinations of perifoveal retinal nerve fibre layer thickness (RNFLT) using Spectralis SD-OCT. To simulate the effect of artificial media opacity, CS, and VEP were repeated with Bangerter foils.

Retinal blood flow velocity measured by retinal function imaging in retinitis pigmentosa.

Background: To measure the retinal blood flow velocity in patients with retinitis pigmentosa using the retinal function imaging technique.

Methods: The clinical observational investigation included a study group of five eyes of five patients (age: 55.7 ± 8.

High resolution spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in multiple sclerosis: the first follow up study over two years.

Background: "Non-invasive, faster and less expensive than MRI" and "the eye is a window to the brain" are recent slogans promoting optical coherence tomography (OCT) as a new surrogate marker in multiple sclerosis (MS). Indeed, OCT allows for the first time a non-invasive visualization of axons of the central nervous system (CNS). Reduction of retina nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness was suggested to correlate with disease activity and duration.

Central serous chorioretinopathy shows reduced retinal flow circulation in retinal function imaging (RFI).

Purpose: To assess retinal blood flow in patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSR).

Methods: The hospital-based observational comparative study included a study group with 12 patients (age: 45 ± 13 years) with an acute onset of CSR and a control group of 12 subjects matched for age and gender with the study group. The diagnosis was substantiated by fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography.

RNFL thickness in MS-associated acute optic neuritis using SD-OCT: critical interpretation and limitations.

Purpose: Axonal loss is considered a key prognostic factor in diagnosing and monitoring the progress of multiple sclerosis (MS). The purpose of our research was to determine whether the measurement of retinal nerve fibre layer thickness (RNFLT) as measured with high-resolution spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) differs between optic nerve injury following acute optic neuritis (ON) or following unregistered subclinical axonal damage in patients with MS.

Methods: High-resolution SD-OCT measurements of RNFLT were initially carried out in the acute phase of ON and again after 3 months, in 25 patients with clinical definite MS and 25 sex- and age-matched healthy controls, all at the University Eye Hospital, Vienna.

Heterogeneous pattern of retinal nerve fiber layer in multiple sclerosis. High resolution optical coherence tomography: potential and limitations.

Background: Recently the reduction of the retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) was suggested to be associated with diffuse axonal damage in the whole CNS of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. However, several points are still under discussion. (1) Is high resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) required to detect the partly very subtle RNFL changes seen in MS patients? (2) Can a reduction of RNFL be detected in all MS patients, even in early disease courses and in all MS subtypes? (3) Does an optic neuritis (ON) or focal lesions along the visual pathways, which are both very common in MS, limit the predication of diffuse axonal degeneration in the whole CNS? The purpose of our study was to determine the baseline characteristics of clinical definite relapsing-remitting (RRMS) and secondary progressive (SPMS) MS patients with high resolution OCT technique.

Interpretation of RNFLT values in multiple sclerosis-associated acute optic neuritis using high-resolution SD-OCT device.

Purpose: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has emerged as the technique of choice in measuring the retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) quantitatively. It is suggested that RNFL reduction may correlate with lesion burden and diffuse axonal degeneration in the whole CNS of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). However, RNFL changes because of optic neuritis (ON) must be taken into account.

Assessment of central corneal thickness using OCT, ultrasound, optical low coherence reflectometry and Scheimpflug pachymetry.

Purpose: Accurate measurement of central corneal thickness (CCT) is essential in refractive surgery and advanced glaucoma diagnostics. The gold standard for pachymetry is full-contact ultrasound-based pachymetry. As this method is associated with potential sources of error, noncontact methods have been introduced.

Function of the tryptophan metabolite, L-kynurenine, in human corneal endothelial cells.

Purpose: Penetrating keratoplasty has been the mainstay for the treatment of blindness and is the most common form of tissue transplantation worldwide. Due to significant rates of rejection, treatment of immunological transplant reactions is of wide interest. Recently in a mouse model, the overexpression of indoeleamine 2,3 dioxigenase (IDO) was led to an extension in corneal allograft survival.

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria may cause retinal vascular occlusions.

Background: Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is characterized by the classic triad of haemolytic anaemia, thrombophilia and cytopenia with the majority of cases occurring in adulthood. PNH constitutes a nonmalignant clonal disease of hematopoietic stem cells harboring somatic mutations in the X-linked phosphatidyl inositol glycan complementation group-A (PIG-A) gene.

Methods: We report for the first time retinal venous vascular occlusion as the primary manifestation of PNH.

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase protects corneal endothelial cells from UV mediated damage.

Indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) is an intracellular enzyme present in dendritic cells and macrophages. It is a known modulator of T-cell response and contributes to the UV protection of the lens. There yet is no information on IDO activity in the corneal endothelium, protecting the endothelial cells from light mediated damage.

Vitamins inhibit oxidant-induced apoptosis of corneal endothelial cells.

Purpose: To determine the effects of vitamins A, C, and E supplementation on lipid peroxidation and apoptosis in corneal endothelial cells.

Methods: Murine corneal endothelial cells were maintained in tissue culture medium supplemented with free iron ions, known to lead to increased lipid peroxidation. The concentration of antioxidative vitamins (ascorbic acid, tocopherol, and retinoic acid) in the cells and supernatant was determined using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography.

Anti-oxidative vitamins prevent lipid-peroxidation and apoptosis in corneal endothelial cells.

To determine the effects of vitamin supplementation on the lipid-peroxidation-mediated toxicity of iron-ions on corneal endothelial cells (CECs) leading to apoptosis, murine CECs were maintained in tissue culture medium supplemented with increasing concentrations of free iron-ions, a treatment known to lead to increased lipid-peroxidation. The concentration of anti-oxidative vitamins (ascorbic acid, tocopherol and retinoic acid) in the cell supernatant and in the cells was determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Apoptosis was assessed by quantification of caspase-3-like activity and by using annexin-V/propidium iodide stains for flow cytometry.

Low dose-ethanol modulates toxic effect of iron-overloading in the liver.

Unlabelled: The oxidant properties of iron-overload and simultaneous ethanol consumption have received much interest, due to evidence reporting from hereditary hemochromatosis (HC). The full form of this disease is often associated with chronic alcoholism. An additive effect of toxicity of iron and ethanol was assumed.

Quantitative analysis of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) expression in arteries and hearts of patients with ischaemic or dilated cardiomyopathy.

PPARgamma, a nuclear transcription factor, is expressed in various cells within the vasculature and in cardiomyocytes. It has been suggested that PPARgamma is involved in atherogenesis and in cardiac hypertrophy. Therefore, we sought to quantify PPARgamma mRNA in coronary arteries, the aorta and left ventricular specimens from patients with ischaemic (CHD) and dilated cardiomyopathy (CMP).

Transmyocardial laser revascularization: epicardial ECG detection provides efficient R-wave triggering during mobilization of the heart.

Objective: In order to achieve an accurate intraoperative ECG detection, a new technique in detecting the trigger-signal was developed. In contrast to the traditional three-lead ECG-configuration, the left leg electrode was connected to a transient epicardial pacemaker electrode on the left-ventricular surface.

Background Data: The Holmium:YAG-Laser for Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization (TMLR) is R-wave-triggered, providing the release of energy only during the refractory period of the heart cycle.

Clinical benefit of prostaglandin E1-treatment of patients with ischemic heart disease: stimulation of therapeutic angiogenesis in vital and infarcted myocardium.

New evidence suggests that Prostaglandin E1 (PGE-1) stimulates myocardial angiogenesis in human chronic ischemic myocardium. We sought to investigate whether PGE-1 may participate in the process of neoangiogenesis within the myocardial infarct scar. Neovascularization was investigated in 14 explanted hearts from patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy, who had been bridged to heart transplantation (HTX) with PGE-1 and compared with 14 hearts from patients who did not receive PGE-1 prior to HTX.