Altered Large-Scale Brain Functional Connectivity in Ocular Hypertension.

We hypothesized that assessment of brain connectivity may shed light on the underpinnings of ocular hypertension (OHT), characterized by raised intraocular pressure (IOP) and no typical glaucomatous findings. OHT carries a risk for future glaucoma development, thus representing a model of presymptomatic condition. In previous studies on glaucoma, we showed altered brain connectivity since the early stage and in case of normal IOP.

Exploring the gap between diagnostic research outputs and clinical use of OCT for diagnosing glaucoma.

Aims: To explore the gap between diagnostic research outputs and clinical use of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in glaucoma and assess the reliability of a specific reference database when applied to a morphological imaging parameter for diagnostic purposes.

Methods: Consecutive subjects enrolled in the Multicenter Italian Glaucoma Imaging Study (MIGIS) have been included in this cross-sectional, comparative evaluation of diagnostic tests study. Patients underwent measurement of global and sectorial peripapillary retinal nerve fibre thickness (pRNFL) and minimum rim width (MRW) by OCT.

The protective variant rs7173049 at LOXL1 locus impacts on retinoic acid signaling pathway in pseudoexfoliation syndrome.

LOXL1 (lysyl oxidase-like 1) has been identified as the major effect locus in pseudoexfoliation (PEX) syndrome, a fibrotic disorder of the extracellular matrix and frequent cause of chronic open-angle glaucoma. However, all known PEX-associated common variants show allele effect reversal in populations of different ancestry, casting doubt on their biological significance. Based on extensive LOXL1 deep sequencing, we report here the identification of a common non-coding sequence variant, rs7173049A>G, located downstream of LOXL1, consistently associated with a decrease in PEX risk (odds ratio, OR = 0.

Macular versus nerve fibre layer versus optic nerve head imaging for diagnosing glaucoma at different stages of the disease: Multicenter Italian Glaucoma Imaging Study.

Purpose: To compare the diagnostic accuracy of minimum rim width (MRW), peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (pRNFL) and multilayered macular analysis by Spectralis SD-OCT (Heidelberg Engineering, Germany) in discriminating perimetric glaucoma at different stages of the disease from healthy eyes.

Methods: In this multicentre, prospective, evaluation of diagnostic tests study, multilayered macular analysis and MRW and pRNFL were obtained from one eye of 197 glaucoma (76 early, 68 moderate and 53 advanced) and of 83 healthy controls from the Multicenter Italian Glaucoma Imaging Study (MIGIS). The reference standard for classifying eyes as glaucomatous and for staging the disease was the visual field.

Diffuse brain damage in normal tension glaucoma.

Brain changes within and beyond the visual system have been demonstrated in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), the most common type of glaucoma. These changes have been often interpreted as a neurodegenerative process due, at least partially, to the raised intraocular pressure (IOP). In this context, normal tension glaucoma (NTG), a form of POAG with IOP <21 mm Hg despite the typical glaucomatous findings, represents the most suitable model of glaucoma to test the validity of this hypothesis.

Pseudoexfoliation syndrome-associated genetic variants affect transcription factor binding and alternative splicing of LOXL1.

Although lysyl oxidase-like 1 (LOXL1) is known as the principal genetic risk factor for pseudoexfoliation (PEX) syndrome, a major cause of glaucoma and cardiovascular complications, no functional variants have been identified to date. Here, we conduct a genome-wide association scan on 771 German PEX patients and 1,350 controls, followed by independent testing of associated variants in Italian and Japanese data sets. We focus on a 3.

Early changes of brain connectivity in primary open angle glaucoma.

Our aim was to assess in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), a major cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, whether diffuse brain changes recently shown in advanced stage can be detected since the early stage. We used multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 57 patients with the three POAG stages and in 29 age-matched normal controls (NC). Voxelwise statistics was performed with nonparametric permutation testing.

Hydrus microstent compared to selective laser trabeculoplasty in primary open angle glaucoma: one year results.

Background: To compare the reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP) and glaucoma medications following selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) versus stand-alone placement of the Hydrus microstent, a microinvasive glaucoma surgery device.

Design: Prospective interventional case-series. University practice.

In Vivo Goblet Cell Density as a Potential Indicator of Glaucoma Filtration Surgery Outcome.

Purpose: We analyzed the preoperative conjunctival goblet cell density (GCD), MUC5AC, and HLA-DR in glaucomatous patients undergoing trabeculectomy, using laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) and impression cytology (IC).

Methods: We enrolled 57 patients undergoing trabeculectomy. At baseline LSCM and IC were performed at the site planned for surgery; LSCM was repeated after 12 months at the bleb site.

Brinzolamide 1%/timolol versus dorzolamide 2%/timolol in the treatment of open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension: prospective randomized patient-preference study.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to assess preference for fixed-combination brinzolamide 1%/timolol 0.5% (BTFC) versus fixed-combination dorzolamide 2%/timolol 0.5% (DTFC) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension.

Health-related quality of life in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma. An Italian multicentre observational study.

Purpose: As a progressive condition, glaucoma may impair health-related quality of life (HRQoL), due to vision loss and other factors. This study evaluated HRQoL in a cohort of patients treated for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and assessed its association with clinical features.

Methods: This was an Italian, multicentre, cross-sectional, observational study with the subgroup of newly diagnosed patients with POAG prospectively followed up for one year.

Blindness and Glaucoma: A Multicenter Data Review from 7 Academic Eye Clinics.

Purpose: To evaluate frequency, conversion rate, and risk factors for blindness in glaucoma patients treated in European Universities.

Methods: This multicenter retrospective study included 2402 consecutive patients with glaucoma in at least one eye. Medical charts were inspected and patients were divided into those blind and the remainder ('controls').

Repeatability and Reproducibility of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Parameters Measured by Scanning Laser Polarimetry with Enhanced Corneal Compensation in Normal and Glaucomatous Eyes.

Objective: To assess the intrasession repeatability and intersession reproducibility of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness parameters measured by scanning laser polarimetry (SLP) with enhanced corneal compensation (ECC) in healthy and glaucomatous eyes.

Methods: One randomly selected eye of 82 healthy individuals and 60 glaucoma subjects was evaluated. Three scans were acquired during the first visit to evaluate intravisit repeatability.

Repeatability and reproducibility of applanation resonance tonometry: a cross-sectional study.

Background: To assess repeatability (intra-observer variability) and reproducibility (inter-operator variability) of intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements with servo-controlled Bioresonator Applanation Resonance Tonometry (ART) and to evaluate possible influential factors.

Methods: The study included 178 patients (115 glaucoma and 63 controls; one eye per subject). IOP was measured once with a Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT) and twice by ART (ART1, ART2), in randomized sequence, by a single operator to assess intra-operator variability.

Structural and functional brain changes beyond visual system in patients with advanced glaucoma.

In order to test the hypothesis that in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), an important cause of irreversible blindness, a spreading of neurodegeneration occurs through the brain, we performed multimodal MRI and subsequent whole-brain explorative voxelwise analyses in 13 advanced POAG patients and 12 age-matched normal controls (NC). Altered integrity (decreased fractional anisotropy or increased diffusivities) of white matter (WM) tracts was found not only along the visual pathway of POAG but also in nonvisual WM tracts (superior longitudinal fascicle, anterior thalamic radiation, corticospinal tract, middle cerebellar peduncle). POAG patients also showed brain atrophy in both visual cortex and other distant grey matter (GM) regions (frontoparietal cortex, hippocampi and cerebellar cortex), decreased functional connectivity (FC) in visual, working memory and dorsal attention networks and increased FC in visual and executive networks.

Assessment of the optic disc morphology using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and scanning laser ophthalmoscopy.

Objective: To compare the equivalent optic nerve head (OHN) parameters obtained with confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (HRT3) and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) in healthy and glaucoma patients.

Methods: One hundred and eighty-two consecutive healthy subjects and 156 patients with open-angle glaucoma were divided into 2 groups according to intraocular pressure and visual field outcomes. All participants underwent imaging of the ONH with the HRT3 and the Cirrus OCT.

Relationship between spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and standard automated perimetry in healthy and glaucoma patients.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) and standard automated perimetry (SAP) in healthy and glaucoma individuals.

Methods: The sample comprised 338 individuals divided into 2 groups according to intraocular pressure and visual field outcomes. All participants underwent a reliable SAP and imaging of the optic nerve head with the Cirrus OCT.

Ocular surface changes in glaucomatous patients treated with and without preservatives beta-blockers.

Purpose: To determine whether there were ocular surface changes in glaucomatous patients treated with preservatives beta-blockers who switched to preservative-free beta-blockers.

Methods: This was a prospective, longitudinal, open-labeled study. One hundred thirty-two patients with primary open angle glaucoma treated with a preserved beta-blocker were enrolled.