Structure-Function Relationship of Changes in Visual Field Indices with Quadrant and Average Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness in the Eyes with Exfoliation.

The progressive nature of glaucoma suggests it should be possible to detect structural changes such as retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness loss before the condition becomes clinically apparent with visual field (VF) impairment. Therefore, the aim was to analyze RNFL thickness and VF changes in study groups with unilateral exfoliation syndrome (XFS), bilateral XFS and bilateral exfoliative glaucoma (XFG), and compare it with controls. The study included 114 subjects (228 eyes) divided into 4 groups according to the presence of exfoliation: 30 subjects with unilateral XFS (30 with clinically visible XFS and 30 fellow eyes), 24 subjects (48 eyes) with bilateral XFS, 28 (56 eyes) subjects with bilateral XFG, and control group (32 subjects). All subjects underwent VF and RNFL measurements after ophthalmologic examination. Both eyes of unilateral XFS (clinically -visible and fellow eye) showed positive correlation between Mean Defect (MD) and square root of Loss of Variance (sLV) and between MD and inferior quadrant RNFL thickness. In bilateral XFS and XFG, there was negative correlation between MD and inferior quadrant RNFL thickness. Inferior, superior and nasal quadrant RNFL thickness was lower in XFG group than in other groups. In bilateral XFS group, the inferior quadrant RNFL thickness was lower as compared with unilateral XFS group (in both eyes). The mean RNFL thickness negatively correlated with MD in bilateral XFS and XFG groups. In conclusion, structural changes before VF impairment have an important role in early detection of glaucoma in subjects at risk.

CORRELATION BETWEEN MACULAR CHANGES IN EXFOLIATION SYNDROME AND EXFOLIATIVE GLAUCOMA.

The aim of the study was to evaluate macular thickness and macular volume in unilateral and bilateral exfoliation syndrome and to compare them with exfoliative glaucoma and control eyes using optical coherence tomography. This prospective study included 114 subjects (228 eyes) divided into 4 groups according to the presence of exfoliation: 30 patients with unilateral syndrome, 24 patients with bilateral syndrome, 28 patients with bilateral glaucoma and control group without glaucoma or exfoliation syndrome (32 subjects). All subjects were older than 50 years. Patients with visual acuity under 0.6 according to Snellen were excluded, as well as those with refraction errors, i.e. hypermetropia over +3 spherical diopters, myopia over -5 spherical diopters, astigmatism over 2 cylindrical diopters, patients with affections that might affect the macula or the optic nerve, such as diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, macular edema, epiretinal membrane, vascular occlusions, neuropathies, and patients having undergone eye surgery except for pseudophakic patients with visual acuity within the set limits. Study results confirmed the hypothesis on the existence of structural changes of macular parameters before the functional ones, thus representing an early sign of glaucomatous damage in risk groups such as unilateral and bilateral exfoliation syndrome. If the glaucoma had already manifested (exfoliative glaucoma in this study) with changes in optic disc and visual field, structural changes confirmed the clinical findings and warned of the disease severity.

Endoscopic features of gastric mucosa in children having pathohistological evidence of Helicobacter pylori infection.

Infection with Helicobacter pylori (Hp) is common in children from developing countries, particularly in adolescents. It is associated with chronic gastritis and stomach cancer. A characteristic endoscopic finding in children is nodular gastritis. The aim of this study was to assess and confirm association of nodular gastritis, mainly of anthral mucosa, with Hp infection in children. A total of 195 children 1 to 15 years of age were studied during a two-year period (2004-2006). There were 107 girls (54.9%) and 88 boys (45.1%). The patients presented with recurrent epigastric pain, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, sour mouth, regurgitation, bloating or other dyspeptic symptoms. The complaints were recorded by a structured interview with parents and older children. Upper endoscopy was performed in all children. The presence and degree of mucosal granulation was recorded and two samples of mucousa from the antrum and the small curvature were taken. Biopsy material was processed for histology as usual, stained with 2% Giemsa and examined by a pathologist for the presence of Hp. A total of 40 of 195 children (20.5%) have had positive Hp infection and a 27 of 40 (67.5%) have had a granular aspect of anthral mucosa at the endoscopy. Sensitivity of the finding was 87.5%, specificity 93.5%, positive predictive value 73%, negative predictive value 91.8%, p < 0.05. Average age of those patients was 11.5 +/- 3.0 years. Subjective symptoms of dyspepsia (as recorded by the questionnaire) were often associated with Hp positivity, but short of statistical significance. No difference between boys and girls was noted. Endoscopic finding of nodular gastritis, especially in areas of antrum and small curvature, showed a highly positive correlation with Hp infection.

[Intraocular pressure after ND: YAG laser capsulotomy in pseudophakic patients with glaucoma]. / Intraokularni tlak nakon Nd: YAG laserske kapsulotomije u pseudofaknih bolesnika s glaukomom.

AIM: The aim of the study was to analyze changes in intraocular pressure after Nd: YAG laser capsulotomy in pseudophakic patients with glaucoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Intraocular pressure was recorded before, and 1 and 3 hours after YAG laser capsulotomy in 69 pseudophakic patients with glaucoma. Twenty eight patients received no therapy before capsulotomy, 21 patients received topical brimonidine 0.2%, and 20 patients received topical dorzolamide 2% 1 hour before laser capsulotomy. All patients received topical tropicamide 1% and tetracaine 0.5%. Nd: YAG laser posterior capsulotomy was performed using inverted-U technique to make a 3-4 mm diameter capsulotomy. After capsulotomy, all eyes received topical fluorometholone for 10 days. RESULTS: A pressure rise was greater in patients without any therapy before YAG laser capsulotomy. Eight patients with glaucoma showed intraocular pressure rise of 5 mm Hg, and 2 patients pressure rise of 10 mm Hg after laser capsulotomy. A reduction of intraocular pressure rise was found in patients who received dorzolamide 2% or brimonidine 0.2%, only 1 patient in each group developed a pressure rise of 5 mm Hg. In all patients a significant pressure rise developed within the first hour. DISCUSSION: It is difficult to compare different studies due to different techniques of cataract surgery and different intraocular lense material and design. Barnes showed that 6 of 29 (21%) developed a pressure rise of 5 mm Hg, and 1 of 29 (3%) patients a pressure rise of 10 mm Hg. In our study, 29% of patients had a pressure rise of > or =5 mm Hg, and 7% of patients had a rise of > or =10 mm Hg after laser capsulotomy. These results may be associated with a large proportion of extracapsular cataract extraction (71%) versus phacoemulsification (29%) in our patients. CONCLUSION: Pretreatment with dorzolamide 2% or brimonidine 0.2% reduce the intraocular pressure rise after Nd: YAG laser capsulotomy in pseudophakic patients with glaucoma.

Comparison of visual evoked potentials, automated perimetry and frequency-doubling perimetry in early detection of glaucomatous visual field loss.

The present study compares frequency-doubling perimetry (FDP), automated perimetry (AP) and visual evoked potentials (VEP) for their ability to diagnose early glaucoma. In present study 224 patients of Clinic for Eye Diseases, Clinical Hospital "Sestre Milosrdnice" that had diagnosis of open angle glaucoma and glaucomatous visual field loss proven by automated static perimetry on only one eye were performing all three tests. Visual evoked potentials, automated perimetry and frequency-doubling perimetry were performed four times in each patient with six months period in between testing. Significant difference was proven between frequency-doubling perimetry and automated perimetry in favor for FDP in early detection of glaucomatous field loss. There was no significant difference between FDP and VEP neither between VEP and AP measurements. The results of this study indicate that frequency-doubling perimetry is significantly better method for early detection of glaucomatous visual field loss than automated static perimetry.