SPECIFIC CHARACTERISTICS OF OCULAR BIOMETRIC FACTORS IN GLAUCOMATOUS PATIENTS WITH PSEUDOEXFOLIATIVE SYNDROME AS MEASURED BY OPTICAL LOW-COHERENCE REFLECTOMETRY.

The aim of the study was to assess biometric factor aberrations and differences among groups of eyes with cataract and pseudoexfoliative syndrome, cataract and pseudoexfoliative glaucoma, and cataract and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), and to determine biometric factors of the eye specific for the group of glaucomatous patients with pseudoexfoliative syndrome by use of optical low-coherence reflectometry. This retrospective study included 72 patients, and the study sample of 102 eyes was divided into the following three groups according to diagnosis: 29 eyes with pseudoexfoliative syndrome and cataract; 36 eyes with POAG and cataract; and 37 eyes with pseudoexfoliative glaucoma and cataract. Data on biometric measurements (central corneal thickness, pupillary diameter, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, axial length, retinal thickness, astigmatism and white-to-white) obtained by use of optical low-coherence reflectometry on a Lenstar LS 900® (Haag-Streit International) were collected and analyzed by thorough survey of medical documentation of patients scheduled for cataract surgery at Department of Ophthalmology, Sveti Duh University Hospital in Zagreb, Croatia. Comparative analysis of the groups yielded statistically significant differences in central corneal thickness (F2/99=7.066; p=0.001) and lens thickness (F2/96=5.133; p=0.008). The group of eyes diagnosed with pseudoexfoliative glaucoma and cataract had a significantly thinner cornea as compared with the other two groups and a significantly thicker lens as compared with the group of eyes with POAG and cataract. In conclusion, optical low-coherence reflectometry revealed differences in biometric factors among the three groups of eyes, with a statistically significantly thinner cornea and thicker lens in the group of glaucomatous patients with pseudoexfoliative syndrome.

Head trauma and posttraumatic epilepsy in Slavonski Brod, East Croatia, 1988-2008.

Posttraumatic epilepsy is result of head trauma. The aim of our research was to establish how many patients after head trauma developed posttraumatic epilepsy (PTE). Retrospectively we analyzed 50 patients with head trauma different severity in period from 1989 to 2008, which we werified radiological, electroenfephalographic, and psychical changes were established according pto psychiatric examination. From 50 patient with head trauma, 40 developed seizures (3 in the firs 24 hours and 6 after first 24 hours to the end of first week, 31 after first week). By introducing antiepileptic therapy (AETh), 30 patients were seizure free, 10 patients had 1-2 epileptic seizure monthly (EPA/CPA), 10 patients got prophylactic AETh in period 6-12 months. 14 patients developed psychical changes which were verified by psychiatrist. The experience and literature show that posttraumatic epilepsy is good for treating with 1 or 2 antiepileptic, and remission is more difficult in case psychiatric comorbidity.

Giant aneurysm of basilar artery.

In the article we showed the patient, a woman with unruptured giant aneurysm of basilar artery, we showed the done examinations, and therapy dilemmas about what to do in the given case. We found in literature a number of examples which suggest operation treatment, but of embolisation too, some suggest conservative treatment.

[Ocular dirofilariasis: a case report]. / Okularna dirofilarioza--prikaz bolesnice.

A case of ocular dirofilariasis in a female patient is presented. The zoonosis caused by parasites of the genus Dirofilaria is relatively rare in humans, with a higher incidence in south and central Europe, Asia and Africa. In Europe, dirofilariasis is mostly caused by the species Dirofilaria repens. In the past 50 years, the number of individuals involved has been on an increase, with about 780 cases reported in the literature to date. Dirofilaria is a parasite found in the dog, cat, racoon and bear. The parasite replicates in the animal's body and enters circulation in the form of microfilariae. These microfilariae reach the insect's digestive tract and are transmitted to another animal or human with subsequent mosquito bites. When transmitted to humans, the parasite is found in the skin and subcutaneous tissue, mucous membranes, and less frequently visceral organs. Concerning ocular involvement, infections of the eye and adnexa oculi and tumorous noninfectious growth of eyelid or orbit have been described to date. The symptoms of the disease vary and include local pain, proptosis, diplopia, palpebral and conjunctival edema, redness, feeling of foreign body, and impaired vision. The diagnosis is generally made by histologic identification of the parasite micro- and macroscopic characteristics, Dirofilaria DNA analysis by the method of polymerase chain reaction, and serology (ELISA) demonstrating the presence of Dirofilaria antibodies in serum. Treatment includes surgical excision of the parasite as an appropriate and efficient therapeutic procedure. A 76-old-female patient presented to outpatient ophthalmology clinic for occasional sensation of pain, rubbing and redness in her right eye. Initial therapy was introduced, resulting in short-lasting improvement. In two weeks, the patient was re-examined for recurrence of discomforts. Slit lamp examination performed temporally revealed a whitish motile, live parasite under the injected and chemotic bulbar conjunctiva. Upon surgical extirpation of the parasite, the diagnosis of dirofilariasis was verified by microbiologic identification.

[Painful ophthalmoplegia--Tolosa-Hunt syndrome]. / Bolna oftalmoplegija--Tolosa-Huntov sindrom.

Tolosa Hunt syndrome is a rare disorder caused by nonspecific inflammation in the cavernous sinus/superior orbital fissure and/or orbital apex. It is clinically characterized by alternating remissions and exacerbations, and manifested as diplopia associated with unilateral periorbital hemicranial headache. The symptoms include blepharoptosis, which is usually mild if present, bulbomotor paresis involving the pupil, and loss of sensation in the area supplied by the first division of the trigeminal nerve. Therapy for Tolosa-Hunt syndrome are systemic steroids. The course of disease in a 25-year-old man hospitalized for painful ophthalmoplegia and diplopia is presented. The history included severe pain on rightward eye movement and parabulbarly on the right, considerable defect in the area supplied by the first division of the trigeminal nerve, right hemicrania, and diplopia on looking to the left, right, upward and downward that developed after four days. A month before, the patient was observed at neurology department for severe right hemicrania. Current status included severe pain parabulbarly on the right, discrete proptosis with mild ptosis on the right eye, restricted right eye bulbar motoricity on looking nasally, nasally upward and downward, and loss of sensation in the area supplied by the first division of the trigeminal nerve. Pupilar motoricity was normal. Upon admission, neuroradiologic examination (orbit CT) and brain MR were performed, and therapy with systemic corticosteroids was initiated ex iuvantibus, in consultation with a neurologist. At 24 hours of corticosteroid therapy, the pain subsided, whereas diplopia disappeared almost completely after 5 days, now being only occasionally recorded on looking to the left and upward.

[Uveitis caused by Toxocara canis]. / Uveitis uzrokovan Toxocarom canis.

The course of disease in a 64-year-old man with toxocariasis and ocular manifestations of the disease, treated at Departments of Ophthalmology and of Infectious Diseases, Dr. Josip Bencevic General Hospital in Slavonski Brod, Croatia, is presented. The patient was hospitalized for bilateral uveitis of unknown etiology. In several days, the patient developed high fever with respiratory tract involvement and hepatomegaly. Worsening of the patient's general condition and laboratory findings of leukocytosis and eosinophilia indicated clinical examinations for parasitosis, in consultation with a specialist for infectious diseases. Specific serologic testing pointed to toxocariasis. The patient's general condition and ophthalmologic status improved in response to specific therapy with anthelmintics and corticosteorids. Toxocariasis is an acute infectious disease that primarily affects animals and less frequently humans. Clinically, toxocariasis manifests as a systemic disease, and on the eye as parasitic posterior uveitis. The disease is caused by the nematodes Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati, the species parasitic in the intestine of dogs and cats, respectively. When the parasite eggs reach human intestine, larvae are released and migrate via blood and lymphatic system to the liver, lungs, eyes, and other organs. Considering the mechanism of disease transmission, the potential preventive measures should include treatment and appropriate anthelmintic management of infected animals, and due control of public areas such as public gardens, promenades, playgrounds, along with taking pets for exercise to the sites specially intended for this purpose.

Thelazia callipaeda--first human case of thelaziosis in Croatia.

A case of the first ocular thelaziosis in a human male patient in Croatia is presented. Thelaziosis is a zoonosis caused by the nematodes of the genus Thelazia. In all, two types of the genus have been described as causes of infection in humans, Thelazia callipaeda and Thelazia californiensis. This zoonosis, called "oriental eye worm" is very rare in humans in European countries, with high incidence in Asian countries, especially in China, Thailand, and Japan.

Vascular endothelial growth factor in a recipient cornea acts as a prognostic factor for corneal graft reaction development.

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether the vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) in the recipient cornea measured at the time of penetrating keratoplasty (PK) can act as a prognostic factor for corneal graft reaction development. METHODS: The study included 25 eyes (of 25 patients) scheduled for PK. According to preoperative clinical finding, patients were divided into three groups: inflammatory with neovascularization (n = 11); inflammatory without neovascularization (n = 7); and non-inflammatory (n = 7). One half of the recipient cornea was analyzed for the levels of VEGF-A protein using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; the other half was analyzed to determine the loci of VEGF-A production by immunohistochemistry. The frequencies of corneal graft reaction and rejection were recorded, together with the improvement of visual acuity. Twenty-five donor corneas obtained from cadaver eyes represented the control group (n = 25). RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference in the levels of VEGF-A protein between the recipient corneal buttons obtained from eyes with inflammatory changes and neovascularization, and those from the non-inflammatory group and controls (p < 0.01). The level of VEGF-A was 287.74 pg/ml (standard deviation [SD] = 129.181) in the inflammatory with corneal neovascularization group, 227.64 pg/ml (SD = 85.590) in the inflammatory without neovascularization group, 115.37 pg/ml (SD = 105.93) in the non-inflammatory group, and 142.28 pg/ml (SD = 93.081) in the control group. Graft reaction/rejection rate was 54.5%/45.5% in the inflammatory with neovascularization group, 14.3%/0% in the inflammatory without neovascularization group, and 14.3%/14.3% in non-inflammatory group. Patients who developed clinical signs of graft reaction during the postoperative follow-up had a significantly higher level of VEGF-A (307.4 pg/ml, SD = 100.058) compared with those without any signs of graft reaction (182.8 pg/ml, SD = 124.987). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that both graft reaction and final graft rejection occur more often in patients with increased levels of VEGF-A in a recipient cornea at the time of PK.

Optic nerve sheath meningioma: a case report with 15-year follow-up.

Meningiomas are benign neoplastic lesions of arachnoidal cells of the meninges. These tumors may arise wherever meninges exists, such as in the nasal cavity, paranasal sinuses, middle ear, and mediastinum. Optic nerve sheath meningiomas (ONSMs) are usually unilateral and occur predominantly in middle-aged females, although they may be present at any age. We present a case of a 55-year-old female with ONSM diagnosed when she was 40 years old. Diagnosis and follow-up was based on the clinical picture, CT orbit scan, and magnetic resonance imaging.

Traumatic optic neuropathy - to treat or to observe?

We present a case of acute traumatic optic neuropathy in 54 year old male patient. The patient presented with acute loss of vision in the right eye due to a blunt trauma to the eye. Lid haematoma and subconjunctival hemorrhage were present. Fluorescein staining was negative, anterior chamber and lens was clear. Intraocular pressure was normal. Retina and optic nerve head appeared normal on fundoscopy. The vision was "counting fingers at 1 meter" in the right eye. Color test indicated color perception dysfunction of the right eye. Relative afferent pupillary defect (RAPD) was positive. Ocular ultrasound, orbital X ray and CT scan was normal, but visual evoked potentials test was pathologic. The consideration was made whether to treat a patient or not since there are no consensus on the treatment of traumatic optic neuropathy. We decided to treat the patient immediately with the megadoses of steroids following the protocol suggested by Cerovski. The patient responded well to the treatment and recovered vision to normal.

Neuroretinitis caused by Bartonella quintana.

A 57-year-old woman presented to the eye clinic for impaired vision on the left eye persisting for three months. Clinical examination revealed massive peripapillary exudate and stellate macular exudate, raising suspicion of a cat-scratch disease. Tetracycline therapy was introduced, followed by azithromycin and topical corticosteroids. Serologic testing for Bartonella henselae and Bartonella quintana was performed. In the first sample, Bartonella quintana IgG titer was 128, and IgM titer 20, whereas in repeat sample the respective findings were 64 and negative. Such a titer dynamics pointed to Bartonella quintana infection. The prescribed therapy resulted in vision improvement and normalization of the clinical picture. After nine months of therapy initiation, macular exudate had almost completely disappeared. Based on the patient's history, symptoms, therapeutic response and IgM pattern, the neuroretinitis must have developed secondary to Bartonella quintana infection.