Correlations Between the Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio, Platelet-Lymphocyte Ratio, and Serum Lipid Fractions With Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Introduction Age-related macular degeneration, a chronic and progressive disease, is one of the leading causes of vision loss globally among the elderly population. Multiple hypotheses have been proposed regarding its pathogenesis, including the presence of lipid metabolism alteration. Dysfunctional lipid handling within retinal pigment epithelial cells has been implicated in the accumulation of lipofuscin and subsequent induction of oxidative stress and inflammation, all contributing to retinal degeneration. The present study aims to comparatively analyze the serum lipid fraction distributions in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and controls. Materials and methods A retrospective study was carried out between January 2021 and December 2023 on 91 naïve patients with neovascular AMD and 90 controls admitted for routine cataract surgery. All subjects underwent a comprehensive ophthalmological exam, including ophthalmoscopy and optical coherence tomography (OCT) with central macular thickness (CMT) measurement. A complete blood count with differential and lipid fractions values was analyzed. The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides (TG) were comparatively analyzed between the control group and the test group. Results The groups were comparable in terms of age (73.84 ±7.52 years for the neovascular AMD group vs 72.1±10.92 years in controls; p=0.8) and gender distribution (p=0.243). The mean NLR and PLR values were slightly higher in the AMD group but not statistically significant (p=0.51, p>0.99, respectively). Comparative analysis of lipid profile fractions showed significantly higher HDL-C values in the exudative AMD group compared to normal subjects (61.27±19.4 mg/dL vs 50.99±7.86 mg/dL, p=0.006). Also, the proportion of subjects with HDL-C>60 mg/dL was higher in the exudative AMD group (p=0.014). There were no significant differences in total cholesterol (189.77±53.39 mg/dL vs 190.43±37.84 mg/dL, p=0.681), LDL-C, and TG. Logistic regression analysis showed that serum HDL-C and HDL-C values >60 mg/dL are significantly associated factors with neovascular AMD. However, there is no statistical correlation between the values of these biochemical parameters and visual acuity or CMT in the neovascular AMD patient group. Conclusions There were no correlations between NLR and PLR with neovascular AMD in the study group. Higher HDL-C values exceeding 60 mg/dL were associated with neovascular age-related macular degeneration and could represent a possible therapeutic target in neovascular AMD.

Association Between Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR) and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR) With Diabetic Retinopathy in Type 2 Diabetic Patients.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the main causes of blindness worldwide, but an effective screening is challenging due to limited available retina specialists. Finding novel biomarkers could help clinical decision in prioritizing ophthalmological consultation in patients at risk of developing severe DR. This study aims to investigate the association between neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and the presence and severity of DR in patients with T2DM. A retrospective study was performed on 90 patients with T2DM admitted in the Ophthalmology Clinic, Emergency University Hospital Bucharest in Bucharest, Romania, between March 2022 and March 2023, for routine cataract surgery. The cases were divided into three groups according to the severity of DR: no DR (noDR), non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), and proliferative DR (PDR) groups. NLR values raised significantly in the PDR group, no DR group (p = 0.003), and NPDR group (p = 0.026), while PLR values did not differ statistically significant among the groups (p = 0.059). No difference in terms of age, sex, HbA1C, and comorbidities were observed. In the multivariate analysis, the NLR (OR = 2.01, [1.29; 3.14], p = 0.0019) and diabetic nephropathy (OR = 3.84, [1.23; 11.98], p = 0.0203) were associated with higher rates of PDR. NLR may be a promising tool in the risk stratification of T2DM patients with DR.

Particular Anatomy of the Hyperopic Eye and Potential Clinical Implications.

Background and Objectives: Hyperopia is a refractive error which affects cognitive and social development if uncorrected and raises the risk of primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG). Materials and Methods: The study included only the right eye-40 hyperopic eyes in the study group (spherical equivalent (SE) under pharmacological cycloplegia over 0.50 D), 34 emmetropic eyes in the control group (SE between -0.50 D and +0.50 D). A complete ophthalmological evaluation was performed, including autorefractometry to measure SE, and additionally we performed Ocular Response Analyser: Corneal Hysteresis (CH), Corneal Resistance Factor (CRF); specular microscopy: Endothelial cell density (CD), Cell variability (CV), Hexagonality (Hex), Aladdin biometry: Anterior Chamber Depth (ACD), Axial Length (AL), Central Corneal Thickness (CCT). IBM SPSS 26 was used for statistical analysis. Results: The mean age of the entire cohort was 22.93 years (SD ± 12.069), 66.22% being female and 33.78% male. The hyperopic eyes had significantly lower AL, ACD, higher SE, CH, CRF. In the hyperopia group, there are significant, negative correlations between CH and AL (r -0.335), CRF and AL (r -0.334), SE-AL (r -0.593), ACD and CV (r -0.528), CV and CRF (r -0.438), CH (r -0.379), and positive correlations between CCT and CH (r 0.393) or CRF (r 0.435), CD and ACD (r 0.509) or CH (0.384). Age is significantly, negatively correlated with ACD (r -0.447), CH (r -0.544), CRF (r -0.539), CD (r -0.546) and positively with CV (r 0.470). Conclusions: Our study suggests a particular biomechanical behavior of the cornea in hyperopia, in relation with morphological and endothelial parameters. Moreover, the negative correlation between age and ACD suggests a shallower anterior chamber as patients age, increasing the risk for PACG.

Corneal Biomechanics - an Emerging Ocular Property with a Significant Impact.

Corneal biomechanical properties reflect the capacity of the cornea to respond to applied mechanical forces. They are an increasingly important domain in ocular pathology, correlated to the diagnosis and evolution of eye diseases such as refractive errors, glaucoma or corneal ectasias. Refractive errors constitute a significant etiology of decreased vision worldwide, with a particular impact in children. Myopic eyes significantly differ from emmetropic eyes in terms of morphology and biomechanics, with differences being reported in both adults and children. In the latter, corneal hysteresis (CH) and the corneal resistance factor (CRF) are significantly lower in myopic individuals, and both biomechanical parameters correlate with the central corneal thickness and axial length. Glaucoma is a progressive optic neuropathy that leads to thinning of the nerve fiber layer and specific visual field loss, in which intraocular pressure (IOP) is an important risk factor. There is an inverse correlation between IOP and CH - a low hysteresis is associated with a high IOP. Furthermore, CH is on average lower in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) compared to ocular hypertension (OHT) for the same IOP. Significant correlations between CH and the thickness of the ganglion cell layer (GCL) and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), in both POAG and OHT, have been described. Keratoconus is the most frequent corneal ectasia, which leads to a progressive thinning and protruding of the cornea. Biomechanical parameters are severely affected in keratoconus - usually, both CH and CRF are lower compared to normal eyes. The biomechanical behavior of the cornea modulates the evolution of several ocular pathologies. As research is ongoing, more data will enable us to apply this knowledge in diagnosing disease more efficiently and targeting the right treatment for the right patient, including refractive surgery.

Vasculitis associated with the use of an intrauterine device: A case report.

Retinal vasculitis is a complication associated with a local condition or it can be a retinal expression of a systemic inflammatory disorder, which initially may go unnoticed. Drug-associated vasculitis is frequently difficult to identify, because many patients follow treatments with more than one drug and the route of administration varies. A 35-year-old female patient presented with sudden hearing loss, headache and blurred vision that had started two weeks earlier and had become progressively worse. Ophthalmological examination revealed anterior uveitis, bilateral optic disc swelling and retinal vasculitis. The orbito-cerebral MRI, the CT scan and the serological tests were within normal limits. Unable to identify the cause of the retinal vasculitis, the patient's medical history was reviewed. The patient had recently had a gynecological procedure, where a 13.5 mg levonorgestrel intrauterine contraceptive device was implanted. After the device was removed and methylprednisolone treatment started, the patient presented a visible remission of the symptoms and signs. To the best of our knowledge, there is no case of retinal disease and optic disc edema associated with auditory problems caused by an intrauterine device. A proper examination, correlated with a very thorough medical history, could identify rare diseases and associations, in order to provide adequate medical care.

Rare ophthalmology diseases.

Rare ocular pathology has an important impact on the quality of life of patients because often the damage is bilateral and, although asymmetric, causes a significant decrease in visual acuity. Because it may be asymptomatic until a relatively late stage, diagnosis is frequently delayed. A general understanding of the disease pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment may assist primary care physicians in referring high-risk patients for comprehensive ophthalmological examination and for a more active involvement in their care. Moreover, a significant percentage of these orphan diseases do not have treatment approved by the FDA. The examination and monitoring of patients with rare ophthalmological disorders represents a key component of an ongoing project at the University Emergency Hospital, Bucharest, Romania - Ophthalmology Clinic. Rare disease registries are leading tools for the development of clinical research for rare diseases, improvement of patient access to new diagnostic methods, follow-up and new emerging therapies. As of this moment, the European list of rare diseases includes 53 ophthalmological diseases, which are classified as rare diseases and another 103 systemic diseases with ophthalmological involvement, out of a total of 7000 rare diseases.

Similarities and differences between three different types of white dot syndrome and the therapeutic possibilities.

White dot syndromes consists a group of inflammatory eye diseases with an unknown etiology involving the external retina, retinal pigment epithelium, choroid or combinations of them. They affect one or both eyes, at the same time or not. White dot syndromes are often self-limited, with a variable prognosis, depending on the type of the disease. The purpose of this article was to look at the similarities and the differences between the different types of syndromes and the therapeutic possibilities existing at present. Abbreviations: WDS = White dot syndromes, MEWDS = Multiple Evanescent White Dot Syndrome, APMPPE = Acute Posterior Multifocal Placoid Pigment epitheliopathy, SC = serpiginous choroiditis RPE = retinal pigment epithelium.

Macular pigment density changes in central serous chorioretinopathy.

Aim: To present a series of 2 cases of central serous chorioretinopathy and the changes in the macular pigment optical density during the evolution of the disease. Material and methods: A 32-year-old patient presented himself for blurred vision on his LE. The SD OCT imaging revealed serous macular detachment of the neurosensory retina on the LE. The MPOD results were 0.72 on RE and 0.91 on LE. After treatment and resorption of the subretinal fluid, the MPOD values were 0.72 on the RE and 0.82 on the LE. The second patient was a 36-year-old male with metamorphopsia on LE and serous macular detachment on this eye. The MPOD results were 0.43 on RE and 0.58 on the LE and, after treatment, they were 0.38 on the RE and 0.43 on the LE. Conclusions: Central serous chorioretinopathy is a disease of unknown pathophysiology in which we observed a higher MPOD on the eye with CSC than on the fellow eye and a decrease in the MPOD value after the resorption of the subretinal fluid. Abbreviations: L = lutein, Z = zeaxantin, MZ = mezozeaxantin, AMD = age related macular degeneration, MPOD = macular pigment optical density, MP = macular pigment, HFP = Heterochromatic Flicker Photometry, CSC = central serous chorioretinopathy, RE = right eye, LE = left eye.

Macular serpiginous choroiditis - case report.

Serpiginous choroiditis represents an inflammation, often asymmetric, situated at the level of the inner choroid, which is related to the retinal pigment epithelium and the choriocapillaris. It is known as a primarily idiopathic, but there are authors who consider it an autoimmune process. Many times, fundus autofluorescence is the investigation which is guiding the diagnosis, the management, also the follow-up together with the determination of the progressive visual prognosis. Local treatment is proven to be sometimes an adjunctive treatment often effective. Abbreviations: SC = Serpiginous choroiditis; RPE = Retinal pigment epithelium.

Correlations between internal and external ocular factors and macular pigment optical density.

AIM: To assess the relationship between the macular pigment optical density and blue-light issued by computers, glare sensibility, with iris color, age, sex, or refractive errors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 83 patients (166 eyes) were enrolled in a prospective observational study. They were divided into 2 groups: group 1 (study group) - computer using patients (time spent in front of the computer for minimum 8 hours per day, 5 days per week, 2 years) - 43 patients and group 2 (control group) - 40 patients. The following investigations were conducted in all the selected cases: visual acuity, refraction, biomicroscopy, measurement of the MPOD, glare sensitivity, assessment of eye color. RESULTS: 51.81% of the patients were included in group 1, while the rest, 48.19%, were in group 2. Thus, the MPOD had a mean value of (+/ -SD) 0.42+/ -0.13 (t = -1.08, p = 0.28) in group 1, and 0.44+/ -0.16 on the LE. The results showed a MPOD mean value of 0.51+/ - 0.16 in group 2 and 0.51+/ -0 .16. (t = 0.49, p = 0 .62) on the LE. 55.77% of the patients with light colored iris and 56.14% of those with dark iris had a low MPOD. CONCLUSIONS: The data from our study failed to illustrate a significant correlation between MPOD and blue-light issued by computers. Furthermore, a statistic significant relationship regarding iris color, refractive errors, glare, and MPOD was not observed. ABBREVIATIONS: L = lutein, Z = zeaxanthin, MZ = meso-zeaxanthin, AMD = age related macular degeneration, MPOD = macular pigment optical density, MP = macular pigment, HFP = Heterochromatic Flicker Photometry, RE = right eye, LE = left eye.

FIGHTING MULTIPLE DRUG RESISTANCE: EFFECTS OF UV-ACTIVATED CHLORPROMAZINE ON RABBIT'S EYE PSEUDOTUMOURS.

INTRODUCTION: Multiple drug resistance requires a flexible approach to find medicines able to overcome it. One method could be the exposure of existing medicines to UV laser beams to generate active photoproducts against bacteria and/or malignant tumors. METHODS: The interaction of Chlorpromazine (CPZ) (irradiated with 266 nm pulsed laser beams) was studied at concentrations of 10 mg/ml and 20 mg/ ml in ultrapure water, with pseudotumors of rabbits eyes. RESULTS: The use of CPZ water solution exposed to 266 nm in the treatment of pseudotumor tissues produced on rabbit eyes showed that treatment results depend on initial (before irradiation) CPZ concentration and exposure time. At this stage, one could not specify which out of the generated photoproducts, individual or as a group, was/were efficient in pseudotumor cure but overall effects were observable. Application of CPZ irradiated solutions on rabbit eyes pseudotumors seemed to produce a faster recovery of tissues with respect to control, untreated eyes. CONCLUSIONS: Histologic findings in the treated tissues showed a good anti-inflammatory response. The results obtained open perspectives to fight MDR and/or development of pseudotumoral processes with substances that were not initially made for this purpose (non-antibiotics, for instance).

[Ocular involvement in spondylarthritis--new mechanisms, new therapies]. / Afectarea oculara din spondilartrite--noi mecanisme, --noi terapii.

Spondyloarthrites (SPA) represent a group of heterogenous rheumatic diseases (ankylosing spondylitis/SA, psoriatic arthritis/PsA, reactive arthritis/ReA, spondyloarthritis in bowel inflammatory diseases/BID, undifferentiated spondyloarthritis/undif SpA) with distinct clinical features and common genetic predisposition (HLA-B27). SpA may also affect other organs, ocular involvement, represented by uveitis and conjunctivitis, being one of the most important extraskeletal manifestations. Pathogenic mechanisms of ocular involment in SpA are not entirely known; nevertheless, the inflammatory process which characterizes the main rheumatic diseases seems to be responsible for this extraskeletal manifestation. SpA treatment targeted at clinical remission has a favourable effect not only on articular but also on ocular involvement. The discovery of new pathogenic mechanisms of both rheumatic and eye disease in SpA have contributed to identification of new pathogenic therapies. The interdisciplinary team work of rheumatologists and ophtalmologists have prove essential for the management of SpA patients with ocular manifestations.

[Panuveitis--difficulties in diagnosis and treatment]. / Panuveita--dificultati de diagnostic si tratament.

We report the case of a young patient who had a past history of HSV encefalitis and presented for decreased vision in her left eye associated with pain and red eye.

[Structure-function correlation in early diagnosis of glaucoma progression]. / Corelatii structura-functie în diagnosticul precoce al progresiei glaucomatoase.

PURPOSE: The study investigates the correlations between structure and function in early detection of glaucoma progression. MATERIALS AND METHOD: A prospective study was carried on 204 patients diagnosed with POAG and a follow-up period of 4 years. All the patients underwent complex ophthalmological examination, C/D ratio, Disk Damage Likelyhood Scale (DDLS), automated perimetry and Heidelberg retina tomography RESULTS: The relations between structure and function were investigated for all patients, but also according to clinical stage of glaucomatous damage. Structural progression was more frequently associated with perimetric progression for patients with moderate advanced glaucoma. For patients with preperimetric glaucoma and early glaucoma, the progression was present more often for structural test (19,04% and 29,3%), while perimetric progression was less frequent objectivated and weak correlated with structural progression (16,66%). For the 15 cases diagosed with both structural and functional progression, the locations of the structural lesion and functional defect were better correlated in cases involving the poles of the optic disc. CONCLUSIONS: Structure-function relation depends on clinical stage of glaucoma and the location of the glaucomatous defects. In early stages, structural investigations can detect progression before perimetry, while in advanced stages, the functional tests are more useful for early detection of progression.

[Assessment of a patient with optic neuropathy]. / Evaluarea pacientului cu neuropatie optica.

Optic neuropathy (ON) is defined as the reduction of vision due to inflammatory lesion of the optic nerve. The patient with ON has to be evaluated clinically but also with complex techniques (magnetic resonance imaging, visual evoked potentials, cerebrospinal fluid examination) because ON could be the presenting symptom in multiple sclerosis patients. Corticosteroids should be administrated intravenous and the patient should be followed by the neurologist in order to signal the appearance of new neurological signs.

[Primary antiphospholipid syndrome]. / Sindromul antifosfolipidic primar.

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a disorder characterised by recurrent arterial or venous thrombosis and/or pregnancy losses, in the presence of persistently elevated levels of anticardiolipin antibodies and/or evidence of circulating lupus anticoagulant (these abnormalities are detected by blood tests). Primary APS occurs when there is no evidence of associated diseases. APS in the presence of an underlying disease, usually systemic lupus erythematosus, is called secondary APS.

[Macular hole--a rare complication of toxocariasis]. / Gaura maculara--consecinta rara a infectiei toxocarozice.

Macular hole is a condition that characterizes older patients, being rare in adolescent patients and exceptionally at children. The etiopathogenic mechanism of most macular holes in children and adolescent is idiopathic. The suggested etiopathogenic mechanism is vitreoretinal traction due to a toxocara granuloma for a 9 years old girl.