Multimodal imaging study of lipemia retinalis with diabetic retinopathy: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Lipemia retinalis (LR) is a rare disease related to hypertriglyceridemia. However, the symptoms of hypertriglyceridemia are insidious and difficult to detect without blood tests. The fundus is the only site where blood vessels can be observed directly. Understanding the specific performance of LR in multimodal imaging fundus examinations can help diagnose more patients with abnormal hyperlipidemia. CASE SUMMARY: A 29-year-old woman with type 2 diabetes presented to our clinic complaining of a six-day loss of visual acuity in the left eye. The fundus color images showed typical LR: Arteries and veins were the same pink-white color. Infrared images showed hyperinfrared reflections of the arteries and veins. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) showed numerous high point-like reflections in the retinal section, corresponding to different calibers of blood vessel sections. Medium reflections were seen in the big vessels of the choroid. Fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA) and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) showed no significant changes. Laboratory examination found a total cholesterol level of 13.98 mmol/L, triglyceride 20.55 mmol/L, which confirmed the diagnosis of LR. After treatment to lower blood lipids and control blood glucose, the fundus imaging showed that the blood lipids in the patient had returned to normal. CONCLUSION: LR shows specific changes in fundus color photography, infrared photography, and OCT. FFA and OCTA were not sensitive to LR changes.

Inhibition of Obtusifolin on retinal pigment epithelial cell growth under hypoxia.

AIM: To explore the effect of Obtusifolin on retinal pigment epithelial cell growth under hypoxia. METHODS: In vitro chemical hypoxia model of ARPE-19 cells was established using cobalt chloride (CoCl2). Cell viability was tested by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Western blot and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction were applied to detect proteins and mRNAs respectively. Flow cytometry was used to examine the cell cycle. Secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was tested by using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Under the chemical hypoxia model established by CoCl2, hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) mRNA and protein levels was up-regulated. Cell viability was increased and the proportion of S phase was higher. Obtusifolin could reduce cell viability under hypoxic conditions and arrest cells in G1 phase. Obtusifolin reduced the expression of Cyclin D1 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in the hypoxic environment and increased the expression of p53 and p21. The levels of VEGF, VEGFR2 and eNOS proteins and mRNA were significantly increased under hypoxia while Obtusifolin inhibited the increasing. CONCLUSION: Obtusifolin can inhibit cell growth under hypoxic conditions and down-regulate HIF-1/VEGF/eNOS secretions in ARPE-19 cells.

[Prevalence and causes of blindness and moderate and severe visual impairment among adults aged 50 years or above in Longyao County of Hebei Province:the China Nine-Province survey].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence and causes of blindness and moderate and severe visual impairment among adults aged ≥ 50 years in Longyao County, Hebei Province, China. METHODS: It was a population-based cross-section study.Geographically defined cluster sampling was used in randomly selecting 5527 individuals aged ≥ 50 years in Longyao County. The survey was preceded by a pilot study where operational methods were refined and quality assurance evaluation was carried out. All participants were enumerated through village registers followed door-to-door visits.Eligible individuals were invited to receive visual acuity measurement and eye examination. Prevalence of blindness and moderate and severe visual impairment was calculated according to different age, gender or education. And the reasons of blindness were analyzed.Statistical analyses were performed using Stata/SE Statistical Software, release 9.0. Chi-square test was used to investigate the association of age, gender and education with presenting and best corrected visual acuity. RESULTS: Five thousands five hundreds and twenty-seven individuals were enumerated and 5051 persons were examined, the response rate was 91.39%. Based on the criteria of World Health Organization visual impairment classification in 1973, the prevalence of blindness and moderate and severe visual impairment defined as best corrected visual acuity was 1.05% (53/5051) and 3.46% (175/5051) respectively. The prevalence of blindness and moderate and severe visual impairment defined as presenting visual acuity was 1.48% (75/5051) and 7.94% (401/5051) respectively. The prevalence of blindness and moderate and severe visual impairment was higher in aged (trend χ(2) = 897.27, P = 0.000) , female (χ(2) = 30.32, P = 0.000), illiterate (trend χ(2) = 83.20, P = 0.000) persons. Cataract was still the first leading cause of blindness. Un-corrected refractive error also was the main cause of visual impairment. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of blindness and moderate and severe visual impairment is relatively lower among China Nine Province Survey. The first leading cause of blindness and visual impairment is still cataract.