Chemokine CXCL-1: activity in the vitreous during proliferative vitreoretinopathy.

The aim of this study was to investigate CXCL-1 chemokine levels in the vitreous during rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) with and without proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) and identify possible correlations with clinical parameters (extent and duration or RRD and PVR grade). Vitreous samples from patients with primary RRD with or without PVR were collected and assayed using a double antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Eleven vitreous samples from organ donors were employed as a control group. CXCL-1 levels were measured in 35 vitreous samples from 35 RRD patients. Mean CXCL-1 levels (64·82 ± 6·47 pg/ml) were significantly higher (P = 0·048) compared to controls. There was a significant positive correlation between CXCL-1 levels and the extent of the detachment (r = 0·794, P = 0·006). Peak CXCL-1 levels coincided with 3+ quadrant RRD, an interim of 29-60 days' duration and PVR grade B. Increased CXCL-1 levels may be indicative of mild inflammation in the detached retina and the adjacent vitreous. The results of the present study may provide novel insight into the complex interactions taking place during the early and late stages of RRD complicated by PVR.

Repeatability and reproducibility of a-scan biometry quantitative findings.

PURPOSE: To determine repeatability and reproducibility of A-scan biometry quantitative findings in order to uniformly evaluate lenticular cataract changes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventeen eyes from seventeen cataract patients were examined by three (trainee ophthalmologists). Results (ratio of mean internal lens spikes height/lens anterior surface spike height) were compared using coefficient of variation (CV), repeatability coefficient (CR), and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). RESULTS: Intra-observer consistency was CV = 0.36, CR = 0.49, and ICC = 0.778 for the first operator; CV = 0.33, CR = 0.52, and ICC = 0.642 for the second operator; and CV = 0.32, CR = 0.53, and ICC = 0.567 for the third operator. Concerning inter-observer agreement: CV (in 6 of 7 eyes) was > 8%, CR was > 0.21, and intraclass correlation coefficient for all eyes was < 0.81. CONCLUSIONS: Regarding repeatability and reproducibility, although there is a tendency for statistical significance, variability of the results does not allow the use of the method as a complementary clinical tool for comparing results. Standardization of this procedure, in order to achieve higher test reliability, might be the aim of relevant future studies, although there are a number of points that have to be addressed.