Scleral buckling-induced ocular parameter changes in different age group patients of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.

PURPOSE: This study was aimed to evaluate the difference in the ocular parameter changes following scleral buckling (SB) for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) in different age group patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study included 26 eyes of 26 patients who underwent SB for uncomplicated RRD. The patients were divided into three age groups: 16-30 years (Group I), 31-45 years (Group II), and 46-60 years (Group III). Axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), and corneal curvatures were measured preoperatively and postoperatively at 1 week, 1 month, and 3-month. The postoperative change and progression of these parameters were evaluated and compared between three age groups using nonparametric Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS: At 3-month follow-up, a statistically significant postoperative AL increase, ACD decrease, and surgically induced astigmatism (SIA) were observed in all groups (Group I - 0.75 ± 0.32 mm, 0.21 ± 0.21 mm, and 1.5 ± 0.48 D, respectively; Group II - 0.79 ± 0.41 mm, 0.14 ± 0.04 mm, and 2.07 ± 1.18 D, respectively; Group III - 0.86 ± 0.33 mm, 0.16 ± 0.05 mm, and 1.56 ± 1.19 D, respectively). However, surgery-induced change for any parameter was not significantly different between the groups (P for AL [0.7955]; ACD [0.8805]; and SIA [0.5485]). Progression in postoperative changes in AL and ACD was insignificant during three follow-up examinations in all the groups. However, SIA of Group I continued to change significantly up to 3 months but stopped to change at 1 month only in Group II and III. CONCLUSION: Age-related change in physical properties of ocular tissue does not have any major additional effect on the results of SB except that the postsurgical change in corneal curvature stops earlier in older patients compared to that in younger patients.

Profile of eyelid malignancy in a Tertiary Health Care Center in North India.

CONTEXT: The eyelids are affected by wide spectrum of benign and malignant lesions. Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common malignancy encountered while other malignant lesions such as sebaceous cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are rare. Data regarding geographical variation in trends of malignant eyelid tumors are presented in the current study. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Prospective, longitudinal, observational study was conducted from December 2011 to October 2013. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Patients with mass or growth involving eyelid managed by surgical intervention were selected for the study. Excised tissue masses were sent for histopathological examination. RESULTS: Fifty-two cases of extraocular tumors were operated during the study period, out of which 25 cases (48%) were of eyelids. Sixteen cases (64%) were benign, and remaining 9 cases (36%) were malignant eyelid neoplasms. Benign lesions exhibited female preponderance with male:female ratio of 1:2.25. No significant difference was noted in cases of malignant lesions with male:female ratio of 1:1.25. Most common benign tumor observed was sebaceous cyst. Sebaceous gland carcinoma (4 cases) was the most common malignant neoplasm followed by squamous cell carcinoma (2 cases) and BCC, orbital melanoma, and adenocarcinoma (1 case each). CONCLUSIONS: Sebaceous gland carcinoma is more common in North India as compared to BCC and squamous cell carcinoma.

Clinical Objective Dry Eye Tests in a Population of Tannery Workers in North India.

PURPOSE: To analyze the correlation between subjective symptoms and clinical signs of dry eye among tannery workers. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, three classic clinical tests, namely the fluorescein tear film break-up time (FTBUT) test, the fluorescein staining (FS) test, and the Schirmer test (ST), were performed to assess the clinical signs of dry eye disease in 246 tanners who were found symptomatic for dry eye in a prior ocular surface disease index survey. RESULTS: All workers were male with a mean age of 35 ± 9 years, and the mean duration of work at tanneries was 8 ± 5 years. Among 246 symptomatic subjects, the FTBUT test, the FS test and the ST were positive in 63.8%, 30.9% and 41.9% workers, respectively. Mean FTBUT and ST scores were 10.6 ± 4.2 seconds and 10.1 ± 7.7mm, respectively. Mean FTBUT for mild, moderate and severe symptom categories differed significantly. Mean ST scores for the mild symptom group were significantly higher than that of the moderate group (p < 0.0001). The FTBUT and ST score showed a strong negative correlation with severity of symptoms (p < 0.0001). A moderate positive correlation was observed between FS positivity and increasing symptom severity (p < 0.0001). The effect of age was insignificant for FTBUT (p = 0.10), while significant for ST score (p < 0.001). The effect of duration of tannery work was significant for both FTBUT and ST scores (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Clinical tests correlated well with symptom severity among tanners, and a multifactorial etiology is suggested for dry eye diseases.

Repair of Achilles tendon ruptures with peroneus brevis tendon augmentation.

PURPOSE: To report 22 patients who underwent repair of compound Achilles tendon ruptures with peroneus brevis tendon augmentation. METHODS: Records of 6 women and 19 men aged 21 to 42 (mean, 28) years who underwent repair of compound Achilles tendon ruptures with peroneus brevis tendon augmentation were reviewed. All the wounds were transverse/oblique, minimally contaminated, and could be closed primarily. Patients were evaluated at months 3, 9, and 12, using the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) questionnaire. RESULTS: Of the 22 patients, 3 developed superficial skin complications that healed gradually, and 2 developed a superficial discharging sinus and underwent minor debridement. No patient had a re-rupture of the Achilles tendon. At the one-year follow-up, all patients achieved good functional outcome in terms of the FAOS. CONCLUSION: Repair of Achilles tendon ruptures with peroneus brevis tendon augmentation achieved good functional outcome.

Therapeutic treatment with a novel hypoxia-inducible factor hydroxylase inhibitor (TRC160334) ameliorates murine colitis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Mucosal healing in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can be achieved by improvement of intestinal barrier protection. Activation of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) has been identified as a critical factor for barrier protection during mucosal insult and is linked with improvement in symptoms of colitis. Although prophylactic efficacy of HIF hydroxylase inhibitors in murine colitis have been established, its therapeutic efficacy in clinically relevant therapeutic settings have not been established. In the present study we aim to establish therapeutic efficacy of TRC160334, a novel HIF hydroxylase inhibitor, in animal models of colitis. METHODS: The efficacy of TRC160334 was evaluated in two different mouse models of colitis by oral route. A prophylactic efficacy study was performed in a 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-induced mouse model of colitis representing human Crohn's disease pathology. Additionally, a therapeutic efficacy study was performed in a dextran sulfate sodium-induced mouse model of colitis, a model simulating human ulcerative colitis. RESULTS: TRC160334 treatment resulted in significant improvement in disease end points in both models of colitis. TRC160334 treatment resulted into cytoprotective heatshock protein 70 induction in inflamed colon. TRC160334 successfully attenuated the rate of fall in body weight, disease activity index, and macroscopic and microscopic scores of colonic damage leading to overall improvement in study outcome. CONCLUSION: Our findings are the first to demonstrate that therapeutic intervention with a HIF hydroxylase inhibitor ameliorates IBD in disease models. These findings highlight the potential of TRC160334 for its clinical application in the treatment of IBD.

A questionnaire-based survey of dry eye disease among leather tannery workers in Kanpur, India: a case-control study.

CONTEXT: Kanpur is a major leather processing center in India, where a large number of tanneries are situated. During tanning process, workers are constantly exposed to heat, leather dust produced in buffering operations and a wide range of chemicals. All these factors are known to cause dry eye. Being ophthalmologists of a tertiary health care center in Kanpur, we used to notice over a period of time that a considerable number of patients with dry eye symptoms, attending our out-patient department, were related to leather tanning industries. But, no published data is available on the prevalence of and risk factors for dry eye disorders among tannery worker. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of dry eye problem and its severity among the workers of leather tanneries in the industrial belt of Kanpur and to evaluate various risk factors related to it. METHODS: In this cross-sectional case-control study, Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) Questionnaire was presented to randomly selected tannery workers and control group. OSDI score was calculated based on subjects' response, and was evaluated with OSDI chart to assess the magnitude of dry eye symptoms and to grade its severity. RESULTS were analyzed statistically to evaluate the significance level. RESULTS: A total of 800 workers were selected by simple random sampling, out of which 72 workers were excluded from the study. Thus the questionnaire was presented to a total of 728 workers, while control group included 260 individuals. All the workers as well as controls were male with age ranging from 20 to 59 years. The mean age for tannery workers was 34.05 ± 8.96 years and that for control group was 32.97 ± 10.59 years (p = 0.14). The tannery workers had mean duration of work at tanneries for 6.99 ± 4.86 years. The prevalence of dry eye symptoms among tannery workers was 33.79% (95% CI: 30.35-37.24), while that in control group was 15.77% (95% CI: 11.31-20.23) (p < 0.0001). Among symptomatic workers, 47.96% (95% CI: 41.68-54.26) workers had mild, 36.99% (95% CI: 30.91-43.07) workers had moderate and 15.04% (95% CI: 10.54-19.54) workers had severe dry eye symptoms. Severe symptoms were more prevalent among symptomatic workers of age ≥ 40 years in comparison to those <40 years (34.72% versus 6.90%, p < 0.0001). With increase in duration of work (1-5, 6-15 and 16-25 years), both prevalence and severity of dry eye symptoms increased significantly (p = 0.036 and <0.0001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Dry eye is a significantly prevalent occupational hazard among tannery workers, severity of which increases with the age and the duration of work in tannery. Chemical exposure in hot and dusty working environment of a tannery may have a causative role. Tannery workers should be motivated to use various preventive measures to reduce chemical and dust exposure such as wearing protective glasses, and their ocular health should be monitored periodically for adequate and timely treatment, if required.

An unusual case of bilateral multifocal retinal pigment epithelial detachment with methanol-induced optic neuritis.

PURPOSE: To describe an unusual case of methanol-induced optic neuritis with bilateral multifocal extrafoveal serous retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) detachment. METHODS: Single case report. CASE REPORT: A 40-year-old male presented with acute bilateral loss of vision and history of consumption of adulterated alcohol. On examination, his vision was perception of light in the right eye and finger counting at 1-ft distance in the left eye. Pupillary reactions were sluggish. The optic discs were normal. An elevated lesion with subretinal serous fluid was present over macula adjacent to superior major vessel arcade in the right eye, which was confirmed as a large extrafoveal RPE detachment on fluorescein angiography. There were two more small RPE detachments in the right eye as well as in the left eye. All RPE detachments were extrafoveal in location. The patient was managed medically with intravenous methylprednisolone (1 g) in 500 ml of ringer lactate for three consecutive days. After three doses, visual acuity of both eyes was recorded as 20/20. CONCLUSION: We herein report an unusual case of bilateral multifocal extrafoveal serous RPE detachment in a patient of methanol-induced optic neuritis. RPE detachments may be due to the toxic effect of methanol metabolites.