Effect of the regimen of Gaoshan Hongjingtian on the mechanism of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase regulation of nuclear factor kappa B in the experimental diabetic retinopathy / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) plays an important role in the death of retinal capillary cells in diabetic retinopathy (DR) partly via its regulation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). The current study investigated the effect of the regimen of Gaoshan Hongjingtian (RG) on the mechanism of PARP regulation of NF-κB, and demonstrated the possible impact of the RG and Gaoshan Hongjingtian (Rhodiola sachalinensis, RS) on diabetic retinopathy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Wistar rats were made diabetic by administering streptozotocin. They were then assigned to three groups at random. After 2 months, the three groups of these diabetic rats were treated with RS or RG, or untreated. Analyses of expression levels of PARP, NF-κB, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in the retinas of rats in different groups were performed by Western blotting and immunohistochemical assays, and mRNA levels of NF-κB and ICAM-1 were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In addition, the basement membranes of capillaries in the rats' retinas were observed using electron microscopy, and diabetes-induced capillary degeneration (ghost pericytes and acellular capillaries) were quantitated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>From the third month after the injection of streptozotocin, the diabetic rats were given daily RG, RS or tap water separately. The diabetic rats failed to gain weight compared with normal age-matched rats, whereas their glycated hemoglobin levels were significantly increased. After 5 months, the mRNA levels of NF-κB and ICAM-1 and the protein expression of PARP, NF-κB, and ICAM-1 were significantly increased in the retinas of diabetic rats in the untreated group compared with the nondiabetic controls. After 8 months, the number of degenerated retinal capillaries (ghost pericytes and acellular capillaries) was significantly increased in the diabetic rats in the untreated group compared with normal age-matched rats. RG and RS inhibited diabetes-induced over-expression of PARP, NF-κB, and ICAM-1 in the retinas of diabetic rats at the end of 5-month diabetic duration. Treatment using RG and RS significantly inhibited increases in the number of acellular capillaries and pericyte ghosts and suppressed the basement membrane thickening in the retinas of rats with diabetes for 8 months compared with the control diabetic rats.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>These results indicate that PARP plays an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy. RS and RG may have acted on the mechanism of PARP regulation of NF-κB, which suppressed the expression of NF-κB and ICAM-1, and led to the inhibition of retinal capillary degeneration.</p>

Analysis of post-operative endophthalmitis after pars plana vitrectomy: a 10-year experience at a single center / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Endophthalmitis can be a devastating complication after pars plana vitrectomy. The incidence of postvitrectomy endophthalmitis is significantly lower than that of endophthalmitis occurring after other intraocular operations. However, normal post-operative pain and inflammation may mask endophthalmitis and lead to delayed diagnosis and grave visual consequences. This study aimed to summarize the outcomes of cases that underwent pars plana vitrectomy over a 10-year period and to analyze the characteristics of post-vitrectomy endophthalmitis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A retrospective observational case study was conducted on all the cases who underwent pars plana vitrectomy in the Beijing Tongren Hospital between January 1, 2002 and March 31, 2012. All cases of endophthalmitis that occurred during a period of 10 years and 3 months were reviewed, and the possible risk factors, clinical findings, causative organism(s), and the sources of infection were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Within the 10-year observational period, 14 patients developed endophthalmitis after pars plana vitrectomy. The incidence of post-vitrectomy endophthalmitis (0.05%) was lower than that reported previously from the same center (0.12%). Staphylococcus epidermidis (five patients, 35.71%) was the most common organism identified in aqueous or vitreous cultures. Eight patients (57.14%) had diabetes mellitus. There was no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05) in the incidence of endophthalmitis between period 1 (with antibiotic pretreatment) and period 2 (without antibiotic pretreatment). Surgical procedures for the treatment of endophthalmitis were performed in 10 patients (71.43%).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>This series of cases showed that the incidence of endophthalmitis after pars plana vitrectomy is lower than what was previously reported in our hospital. A variable degree of corneal edema with relatively normal or mildly increased intraocular pressure was one of the commonly observed characteristics of post-vitrectomy endophthalmitis. Staph. epidermidis was the most common causative organism, and antibiotic pretreatment did not lower the incidence of postvitrectomy endophthalmitis.</p>

Dilemma in management of ocular medulloepithelioma in a child / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

Medulloepithelioma, a rare tumor, arises from the epithelium of the medullary tube. In this article, we present a 3-year-old boy who suffered from secondary glaucoma, initially presumed the primary disease was endophthalmitis. Subconjunctival mass was later found, pathologically proved to be medulloepithelioma. We discuss the patient management with emphasis on the early signs of examination and the role of ultrabiomicroscopy (UBM) in evaluating pediatric secondary glaucoma and in influencing the management of patients with medulloepithelioma.