Melatonin Improves Mitochondrial Dynamics and Function in the Kidney of Zücker Diabetic Fatty Rats.

Obesity and associated diabetes (diabesity) impair kidney mitochondrial dynamics by augmenting fission and diminishing fusion, which results in mitochondrial and renal dysfunction. Based on available evidence, the antioxidant activities of melatonin may improve impaired renal mitochondrial function in obese diabetic animals by restoring the imbalanced dynamics through inhibiting fission and promoting fusion. Male Zücker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats and lean littermates (ZL) were orally treated either with melatonin (10 mg/kg BW/day) (M-ZDF and M-ZL) or vehicle (C-ZDF and C-ZL) for 17 weeks. Kidney function was evaluated by measurement of total urine volume, proteinuria, creatinine clearance, and assessment of kidney mitochondrial dynamics and function. C-ZDF exhibited impaired dynamics and function of kidney mitochondria in comparison to C-ZL. Melatonin improved nephropathy of ZDF rats and modulated their mitochondrial dynamics by reducing expression of Drp1 fission marker and increasing that of fusion markers, Mfn2 and Opa1. Furthermore, melatonin ameliorated mitochondrial dysfunction by increasing respiratory control index and electron transfer chain complex IV activity. In addition, it lowered mitochondrial oxidative status. Our findings show that melatonin supplementation improves nephropathy likely via modulation of the mitochondrial fission/fusion balance and function in ZDF rats.

Cortical Contrast Processing in Retinitis Pigmentosa: Evidence of PVEPs Spatial Functions.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of check width size of the stimuli on the amplitude and latency of the P100 component of visual evoked potentials recorded in patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP). METHODS: Pattern reversal visual evoked potentials (PVEPs) were recorded in 16 RP patients and 20 visually normal subjects. Pattern reversal stimuli with five different check widths and 100% of contrast were projected in the right eye of both patients and control subjects. PVEPs induced by stimuli with 78%, 16%, and 6% of contrast were also recorded in 10 of the control subjects. RESULTS: In RP patients, the amplitude of P100 was smaller than controls in all check sized used and the peak P100 amplitude was obtained with a larger check width than in controls. P100 was also delayed in RP patients in all check sizes studied. The P100 amplitude- and latency-check size functions of RP patients were like those found in control subjects with low contrast stimuli of 16% and 6%. CONCLUSION: The PVEPs spatial functions of RP patients show quantitative and qualitative changes, suggesting disease induced alteration in the neural processing of stimulus contrast.

Multifocal ERG Guiding Therapy in a Case of Hydroxychloroquine Premaculopathy.

We report the case of a 28-year-old female treated for systemic lupus erythematosus with hydroxychloroquine (200 mg/day) for 11 years. She was visually asymptomatic, with normal fundus appearance, normal colour vision testing findings, 20/20 visual acuity in both eyes, and only mild central bilateral defects on 10-2 perimetry. Multifocal electroretinography (mfERG) showed low density values for ring 1 in both eyes. Because the patient had not previously responded to alternative treatments and in consultation with her physician, the hydroxychloroquine dose was reduced to 200 mg four days/week. Four serial mfERGs performed at 4, 18, 25, and 34 months after dose reduction showed a progressive improvement in the definition and density of the responses until they were normalized at the third mfERG (25 months after hydroxychloroquine dose reduction). The fourth and final mfERG at 34 months confirmed the recovery in both eyes. Perimetry defects were mostly normalized. These results demonstrate the importance of mfERG for the safe management of patients under long-term hydroxychloroquine treatment.

Toxicidad ocular y recuperación visual funcional en una paciente tratada con hidroxicloroquina / Ocular toxicity and functional vision recovery in a patient treated with hydroxychloroquine

Caso clínico: Presentamos un paciente de 64 años, del sexo femenino, con artritis reumatoide y síndrome de Sjögren, tratada durante 48 meses con hidroxicloroquina, a la que se le suspendió dicho tratamiento tras una revisión oftalmológica, en la que se detectó pérdida de la visión en ambos ojos asociada a defecto campimétrico paracentral, alteraciones fundoscópicas maculares pigmentarias y electrorretinograma multifocal (ERGmf) central disminuido en ambos ojos. A los 12 meses de la retirada del tratamiento, la agudeza visual y el ERGmf central habían mejorado sorprendentemente. Se trata de un caso inusual de recuperación funcional tras la retirada del tratamiento. Consideramos que el ERGmf central es una prueba más sensible que el electrorretinograma patrón en la detección de toxicidad retiniana y en la detección de mejorías visuales funcionales tras la retirada del tratamiento con hidroxicloroquina (AU)

Case report: We report the case of a 64-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis and Sjögren’s syndrome, treated during 48 months with hydroxychloroquine that was removed after an ophthalmological evaluation showed bilateral vision loss associated with paracentral scotoma in the visual field, fundoscopic macular pigmentary changes, and severely impaired central multifocal electrorretinogram (mfERG). Twelve months after treatment withdrawal, visual acuity and central mfERG had surprisingly improved. This is an unusual case of functional recovery after treatment withdrawal. We consider that central mfERG is a more sensitive test than pattern electrorretinogram in the detection of retinal toxicity and functional vision recovery after hydroxychloroquine treatment cessation (AU)

Ocular toxicity and functional vision recovery in a patient treated with hydroxychloroquine.

CASE REPORT: We report the case of a 64-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis and Sjögren's syndrome, treated during 48 months with hydroxychloroquine that was removed after an ophthalmological evaluation showed bilateral vision loss associated with paracentral scotoma in the visual field, fundoscopic macular pigmentary changes, and severely impaired central multifocal electrorretinogram (mfERG). Twelve months after treatment withdrawal, visual acuity and central mfERG had surprisingly improved. This is an unusual case of functional recovery after treatment withdrawal. We consider that central mfERG is a more sensitive test than pattern electrorretinogram in the detection of retinal toxicity and functional vision recovery after hydroxychloroquine treatment cessation.

Maculopatía en paciente con lupus eritematoso sistémico tratado con hidroxicloroquina / Maculopathy in patient with systemic lupus erythematosus treated with hydroxychloroquine

Una mujer de 50 años con lupus eritematoso sistémico, tratada 13 años con hidroxicloroquina y desde hace 5 años con nefropatía e hipertensión arterial, refirió en la revisión periódica pérdida moderada de visión en el ojo derecho. La fundoscopia mostró solo alteraciones de la pigmentación macular en el ojo derecho. El campo visual 10-2 fue normal en ambos ojos. La tomografía de coherencia óptica mostró en la mácula derecha un engrosamiento foveal hiperreflectivo, con cavidad hiporreflectiva subyacente, y fue normal en la mácula izquierda. La angiografía fluoresceínica no mostró patrón en ojo de buey, sino microaneurismas en arcadas vasculares. El electrorretinograma multifocal central estaba disminuido en el ojo derecho y el electrorretinograma patrón moderadamente disminuido en ambos ojos. En conclusión, las alteraciones del ojo derecho fueron indicativas de maculopatía isquémica, pero no de toxicidad cloroquínica (AU)

A 50-years-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus treated for 13 years with hydroxychloroquine developed nephropathy and high blood pressure five years ago as well as moderate loss of vision in her right eye. Fundoscopy showed alterations of macular pigmentation only in the right eye. Visual fields 10-2 were normal in both eyes. Optical coherence tomography showed hyperreflective foveal thickening with a hyporreflective cavity underlying in the right macula, and was normal in left macula. Fluorescein angiography showed no bulls-eye pattern, but did show microaneurysms in vascular arcades. Multifocal central electroretinogram was diminished in right eye and the electrorretinogram pattern was diminished in both eyes. We concluded that the alterations of the right eye were suggestive of ischemic maculopathy, not hydroxychloroquine toxicity (AU)

Maculopathy in patient with systemic lupus erythematosus treated with hydroxychloroquine.

A 50-years-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus treated for 13 years with hydroxychloroquine developed nephropathy and high blood pressure five years ago as well as moderate loss of vision in her right eye. Fundoscopy showed alterations of macular pigmentation only in the right eye. Visual fields 10-2 were normal in both eyes. Optical coherence tomography showed hyperreflective foveal thickening with a hyporreflective cavity underlying in the right macula, and was normal in left macula. Fluorescein angiography showed no bulls-eye pattern, but did show microaneurysms in vascular arcades. Multifocal central electroretinogram was diminished in right eye and the electrorretinogram pattern was diminished in both eyes. We concluded that the alterations of the right eye were suggestive of ischemic maculopathy, not hydroxychloroquine toxicity.