Bone Marrow-derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy in Retinitis Pigmentosa.

BACKGROUND: To determine the effectiveness of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell therapy on visual acuity and visual field in patients with retinitis pigmentosa. OBJECTIVE: Stem cell treatment in retinitis pigmentosa provides improvement in visual acuity and visual field. METHOD: Forty-seven eyes of 27 patients diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa were included in our study. Allogeneic bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells were administered by deep subtenon injection. Complete routine ophthalmological examinations, optical coherence tomography (Zeiss, Cirrus HD-OCT) measurements, and visual field (Humphrey perimetry, 30-2) tests were performed on all patients before the treatment and on the 1st, 3rd, and 6th month after treatment. The best corrected visual acuities of the patients were determined by the Snellen chart and converted to logMAR. Visual evoked potential (VEP) and electroretinogram (ERG) examinations of the patients before the treatment and on the 6th month after the treatment were performed (Metrovision) data were compared. RESULTS: Visual acuities were 0.74 ± 0.49 logMAR before treatment and 0.61 ± 0.46 logMAR after treatment. Visual acuity had a statistically significant increase (p < 0.001). The visual field deviation was found to be -27.16 ± 5.77 dB before treatment and -26.59 ± 5.96 dB after treatment (p = 0.005). The ganglion cell layer was 46.26 ± 12.87 µm before treatment and 52.47 ± 12.26 µm after treatment (p = 0.003). There was a significant improvement in Pattern VEP 120º P100 amplitude compared to that before the treatment (4.43 ± 2.42 µV) and that after the treatment (5.09 ± 2.86 µV) (p = 0.013). ERG latency measurements were 18.33 ± 15.39 µV before treatment and 20.87 ± 18.64 µV after treatment for scotopic 0.01 (p = 0.02). ERG latency measurements for scotopic 3.0 were 20.75 ± 26.31 µV before treatment and 23.10 ± 28.60 µV after treatment (p = 0.014). CONCLUSION: Retinitis pigmentosa is a progressive, inherited disease that can result in severe vision loss. In retinitis pigmentosa, the application of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells by deep subtenon injection has positive effects on visual function. No systemic or ophthalmic side effects were detected in the patients during the 6-month follow-up period.

Optical coherence tomography and neurodegeneration in epilepsy.

PURPOSE: To compare optical coherence tomography measurements; central macular thickness, ganglion cell complex, and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in patients with epilepsy versus healthy controls. METHODS: We evaluated 28 eyes of 28 patients with epilepsy and 34 eyes of 34 healthy subjects. Central macular thickness, ganglion cell complex, and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness measurements were performed by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. RESULTS: Superior and superotemporal quadrant ganglion cell complex, average, and superior quadrant retinal nerve fiber layer thickness measurements were significantly lower in epilepsy group compared to healthy control subjects. Central macular thickness was significantly lower in polytherapy group compared to monotherapy group. Ganglion cell complex and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness measurements were not significantly different between polytherapy and monotherapy groups. CONCLUSION: The present study shows that epileptic patients taking antiepileptic drugs have reduced ganglion cell complex and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness compared to healthy controls. This can be related to the epileptic process in the brain. Optical coherence tomography may be a useful tool for showing the neurodegeneration in patients with epilepsy.

Optic Nerve Parameters in Obese Children as Measured by Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography.

PURPOSE: To investigate whether an association exists between obesity and optic nerve parameters. METHODS: This was a prospective comparative study including 125 eyes of 63 obese and 122 eyes of 62 healthy pediatric subjects. Optic nerve measurements were performed using the Cirrus spectral domain optical coherence tomograph (SD-OCT). RESULTS: The disc area, cup volume, mean and vertical C/D ratio, inferior and temporal RNFL thickness values were significantly higher in the control group than the obese group; however, age, sex, mean, superior and nasal RNFL thickness and rim area measurements were not statistically significantly different between the two groups. Age was significantly negatively correlated with temporal RNFL thickness in the obese group. Girls had significantly higher rim area, mean and superior RNFL thickness, and lower cup volume and vertical C/D ratio than boys in the obese group. CONCLUSION: These results could be helpful in the diagnosis and follow-up of obese children.