Prevalence and Clinical Features of Sagging Eye Syndrome in Korean Patients.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively analyze the relative frequency and describe the clinical features of sagging eye syndrome in Korean patients from a single center. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of patients with diplopia, aged over 40 years, who visited Chosun University Hospital from January 2018 to December 2020. The relative frequency of sagging eye syndrome was examined by classifying the cause of diplopia. Clinical features, such as age, sex, strabismus type, angle of deviation, treatment method, and prognosis were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 128 patients were identified, of which 23 (18%) were diagnosed with sagging eye syndrome, including 12 male patients (52.2%) and 11 female patients (47.9%). Their mean age was 74.6 ± 7.6 years (range, 61-89 years), and all patients were over 60 years. Among the 62 patients with diplopia and age over 60 years, the relative frequency of sagging eye syndrome was 23 (37.1%), the highest among all age groups. Among the 23 patients with sagging eye syndrome, nine patients (39.1%) had only distance esotropia, with a mean distance esotropia value of 10.1 ± 8.6 prism diopters (PD) (range, 4-25 PD) at the first visit; nine patients (39.1%) had a combination of esotropia and vertical strabismus, with a mean esotropia value of 6.2 ± 4.8 PD (range, 2-12 PD) and a vertical angle of 4.7± 3.2 PD (range, 2-10 PD); and five patients (21.7%) had only vertical strabismus, with an average vertical strabismus angle of 3.3 ± 1.6 PD (range, 4-8 PD). Furthermore, 17 out of 23 patients (73.9%) used prism glasses, in whom the symptoms of diplopia disappeared. Finally, only three patients (13.0%) underwent surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Sagging eye syndrome in Korean patients was identified in those over 60 years with a similar male-to-female ratio. Moreover, nonsurgical treatments, such as prism glasses, largely helped relieve the symptoms of sagging eye syndrome.

New Biodegradable Drug Delivery System for Patients with Dry Eye.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to develop a new type of drug delivery system (DDS) for treatment of dry eye. METHODS: A new lens-type biodegradable DDS was manufactured using gelatin methacryloly, antibiotics, and conjunctival epithelial cells as bio-inks in a Bio X 3D Bioprinter. Gelatin methacryloly was used as a base, and the conditions were analyzed to maintain the overall shape by using a mixture of 0.1%, 0.15%, and 0.3% hyaluronic acid. In addition, an experiment was conducted to measure the appropriate concentration by evaluating its cytotoxicity according to the concentration of antibiotics mixed therein to prevent infection. The degree of degradation according to the storage temperature and post-processing of the new lens-type biodegradable DDS was measured. RESULTS: Optimal conditions were maintained when using a nozzle pressure of 80 kPa and speed of 4 mm/sec, nozzle pressure of 50 kPa and speed of 3 mm/sec, nozzle pressure of 60 kPa and speed of 8 mm/sec for 0.1%, 0.15%, and 0.3% hyaluronic acid concentrations, respectively. Degradation did not occur at 4°C and all the lenses were degraded at 37°C within 24 hours. In addition, the degradation rate was delayed according to the ultraviolet crosslink treatment time. Tobramycin 1% was used as an antibiotic during manufacture. CONCLUSIONS: A new lens-type biodegradable DDS that can control the degree of degradation was designed using a 3-dimentional bioprinter. This DDS will contribute to ease of treatment, protection of the cornea, and regeneration of the epithelium in patients with dry eye.

Efficacy and safety of fermented oyster extract for height of children with short stature: a randomized placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Some experimental studies have established the effect of oysters on the promotion of body growth. Yet, there is a lack of human clinical studies. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a fermented oyster (FO) extract on the increase in the height of children with stature in the 25th percentile by age. METHODS: In total, 100 children (6-11 years old) were randomly divided into two (FO or control) groups. For 24 weeks, the subjects in the FO group took the FO extract once daily before sleeping, whereas the control group took placebo extracts, simultaneously. We evaluated the height gain, height velocity (HV), height standard deviation score (SDS), urine deoxypyridinoline (DPD), growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), and IGF binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3). RESULTS: The height gain and height SDS were significantly higher in the FO group than in the placebo group after 24 weeks (height gain: p < 0.001, height SDS: p < 0.005). The HV was also significantly higher in the FO group than in the placebo group after the 6th and 24th week (p = 0.001, p = 0.004). After 24 weeks, we observed a decrease in GH, IGF, and IGFBP-3 in both groups. However, serum IGFBP-3 level in the FO group reduced less than placebo group. CONCLUSION: FO supplementation may help to increase the height of children, and the effect might be mediated via effects on the IGFBP-3 levels.