ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The present study aims to evaluate the optic nerve, macula, and choroidal changes in both rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and primary Sjögren's syndrome (SjS) patients, and to compare these findings with age-matched healthy volunteers. METHODS: This study included 46 RA patients, 33 primary SjS patients, and 37 age-matched healthy volunteers. All of the patients underwent a thorough ophthalmological examination, during which measurements of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), ganglion cell layer(GCL), and subfoveal choroidal thickness (CT) were taken using OCT (optical coherence tomography). The measurements taken from the right eye of each patient were used to compare among the groups. RESULTS: RNFL thickness in superior quadrant was found to be statistically significantly thinner in the eyes with RA when compared to the control group (p = 0.022). In the nasal quadrant, the RNFL thickness was significantly thinner in patients with primary SjS compared to healthy individuals (p = 0.036). Also, the temporal quadrant RNFL was significantly thinner in RA patients than in the primary SjS patients (p = 0.033). GCL thickness was observed to be thinner in all quadrants of both RA and primary SjS groups compared to the control group. However, the difference was not found to be statistically significant. Subfoveal CT was observed to be thicker in RA and SjS groups compared to the control group, but this difference was also not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Systemic autoimmune diseases like RA and primary SjS can lead to a decrease in RNLF and GCL thickness, which can impair visual acuity even in the absence of ocular symptoms. Therefore, monitoring changes in the optic nerve, retina, and choroid layer are crucial in these patients.
Subject(s)
Arthritis, Rheumatoid , Sjogren's Syndrome , Humans , Healthy Volunteers , Retina , Optic Nerve , ChoroidABSTRACT
Non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION) is a common cause of optic neuropathy in individuals over the age of 50. While risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidaemia have been identified, recent literature suggests that new risk factors may be associated with NAION. This article reports a case of NAION that occurred concurrently with an acute gout attack in a 78-year-old male patient with no other systemic diseases. We suggest that gout may be a new potential risk factor for NAION as it has the potential to cause inflammation and vascular dysfunction, particularly during acute attacks. The case emphasises the importance of considering gout as a possible risk factor in the aetiology of NAION.
ABSTRACT
Background: Taurine has an active role in providing glucose homeostasis and diabetes causes a decline in taurine levels. This paper investigates the relationship between taurine and diabetic complications, patients' demographic features, and biochemical parameters. Methods: Fifty-nine patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and 28 healthy control subjects between the ages of 32 and 82 were included in the study. The mean age of subjects was 55.6 ± 10.3 and mean diabetes duration was 10.2 ± 6.0 years. The most commonly accompanying comorbidity was hypertension (HT) (64.5%, n = 38), and the most frequent diabetic complication was neuropathy (50.8%, n = 30). Plasma taurine concentrations were measured by an enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) kit. Results: Plasma taurine concentrations were significantly lower in diabetic patients (0.6 ± 0.1 mmol/L) than controls (0.8 ± 0.2 mmol/L) and in hypertensive (0. 6 ± 0.1 mmol/L) patients (p = 0.000, p = 0.027 respectively). Conclusion: Plasma taurine levels were decreased in patients with T2DM and this was not related to FBG, HbA1c, and microalbuminuria. With regard to complications, we only found a correlation with neuropathy. We suggest that taurine levels may be more important in the development of diabetes; however, it may also have importance for the progression of the disease and the subsequent complications. We further assert that taurine measurement at different times may highlight whether there is a causal relationship in the development of complications.
