In Vitro Investigation of HIF-1α as a Therapeutic Target for Thyroid-Associated Ophthalmopathy.

BACKGRUOUND: Thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) involves tissue expansion and inflammation, potentially causing a hypoxic microenvironment. Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α is crucial in fibrosis and adipogenesis, which are observed in TAO progression. We investigated the effects of hypoxia on orbital fibroblasts (OFs) in TAO, focusing on the role of HIF-1α in TAO progression. METHODS: OFs were isolated from TAO and non-TAO patients (as controls). In addition to HIF-1α, adipogenic differentiation markers including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (CEBP) were measured by Western blot, and phenotype changes were evaluated by Oil Red O staining under both normoxia and hypoxia. To elucidate the effect of HIF-1α inhibition, protein expression changes after HIF-1α inhibitor treatment were evaluated under normoxia and hypoxia. RESULTS: TAO OFs exhibited significantly higher HIF-1α expression than non-TAO OFs, and the difference was more distinct under hypoxia than under normoxia. Oil Red O staining showed that adipogenic differentiation of TAO OFs was prominent under hypoxia. Hypoxic conditions increased the expression of adipogenic markers, namely PPARγ and CEBP, as well as HIF-1α in TAO OFs. Interleukin 6 levels also increased in response to hypoxia. The effect of hypoxia on adipogenesis was reduced at the protein level after HIF-1α inhibitor treatment, and this inhibitory effect was sustained even with IGF-1 stimulation in addition to hypoxia. CONCLUSION: Hypoxia induces tissue remodeling in TAO by stimulating adipogenesis through HIF-1α activation. These data could provide insights into new treatment strategies and the mechanisms of adipose tissue remodeling in TAO.

Clinical Outcomes and Prognostic Factors in Eyelid Malignancy: A 17-Year Retrospective Analysis of Surgical Management and Reconstruction Techniques.

Purpose: To assess clinical outcomes in patients undergoing surgical excision and eyelid reconstruction for malignancies. Methods: This 17-year retrospective study (2004-2021) analyzed patients with malignant eyelid tumors who underwent excision and reconstruction. Data on tumor type, size, location, surgical techniques, complications, and prognostic factors for recurrence were evaluated. Result: A total of 152 patients underwent surgical excision and reconstruction for eyelid malignancies. Basal cell carcinoma (52.6%) was the most common, followed by sebaceous cell carcinoma (32.2%). Direct lid closure was the most frequent reconstructive method. Postoperative complications, including ectropion, entropion, and canalicular obstruction, were minimal but required additional surgery in some cases. Recurrence occurred in 13 patients. Lymph node involvement (OR 21.291, p = 0.004) and positive intraoperative frozen margins (OR 7.083, p = 0.018) were significant risk factors for local recurrence. Conclusion: Surgical excision and reconstruction are effective treatments for eyelid malignancies, with techniques tailored to tumor size, location, and extension to ensure proper lid function. Lymph node involvement and positive intraoperative frozen margins are key predictors of local recurrence.

Chalazion-mimicked eyelid angiosarcoma in a young Asian with good prognosis: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Angiosarcoma is an extremely rare malignant tumor. So far, only about 42 cases of angiosarcoma involving the eyelids have been reported. Eyelid angiosarcoma occurs more frequently in elderly Caucasian males and is prone to misdiagnosis. We present a case report in a young Asian male patient with eyelid angiosarcoma that was misdiagnosed as a chalazion. CASE PRESENTATION: A 46-year-old South Korean male with no underlying disease had a right lower lid mass. The lesion was initially misdiagnosed as a chalazion at a local clinic, but a diagnosis of eyelid angiosarcoma was made after the first biopsy trial. PET-CT was performed to ensure that there was no metastasis in the whole body. Surgical excision with enough surgical margin was used alone for treatment and reconstruction was performed with a tarsoconjunctival advancement flap (modified Hughes procedure), which helped ensure good cosmesis. No recurrence was observed 4 years and 5 months after the surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The current study presents the first case of chalazion-mimicked eyelid angiosarcoma in a young Asian male aged under 50 years. This case shows that even if a benign eyelid disease is suspected in a young patient, an incisional biopsy must be performed to confirm whether the lesion is malignant. Since the prognosis is good for the case of eyelid angiosarcoma, if there is no clear evidence of distal metastasis, surgical resection should be performed with an enough safety margin.

The Eyelid Angiosarcoma: A Systematic Review of Characteristics and Clinical Course.

A systematic search for eyelid angiosarcoma was performed from inception to December 2020 in Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane databases. Forty two eyelid angiosarcoma cases in 32 articles were analyzed. Eyelid angiosarcomas showed an incidence peak in the eighth decade of life, and was reported more frequently in Caucasian males. Eyelid angiosarcomas were associated with a mortality rate of 26.2%, a recurrence rate of 14.3%, and a cure rate of 45.2%. Four years event-free survival (EFS) rate was 36.0%, with median EFS of 36 months. Eyelid angiosarcomas with bilateral involvement or metastasis showed higher mortality and recurrence rates than unilateral eyelid invasion cases. In the prognosis analysis according to treatment modalities, the mortality and recurrence rates were the lowest in patients who underwent surgical excision. The 4-year EFS probability in a group with surgical excision was 60.6%, but in a group without surgical excision it was 30.3%. A total of 45.2% of the cases was misdiagnosed and 21.4% of the cases could not be correctly diagnosed with the first biopsy trial. The prognosis for eyelid angiosarcomas was better than that of angiosarcomas invading the face and scalp. Surgical excision was the most important treatment modality; thus, should be considered as the first treatment of choice.

Long-Term Clinical Outcomes in Treatment-Naïve Patients With Orbital Adnexal Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Lymphoma: A Single-Center Study.

Ocular adnexal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma (OAML) is the most common type of ocular lymphoma with a higher prevalence in Asia than in Western countries. OAML represents 1%-2% of all non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, 5%-15% of extranodal lymphomas, and approximately 55% of orbital malignancies. "Watch and wait" after biopsy or surgical resection, radiation therapy, and systemic treatment, including antibiotics administration and chemotherapy with various combinations of regimens can be considered for OAML treatment. Radiotherapy is adapted for limited-stage disease with excellent clinical outcomes of 85-100% complete remission and relatively superior local control efficacy and treatment duration. In contrast, chemotherapy has rarely been tested as frontline therapy. Nonetheless, several studies have reported a favorable response and long duration of progression-free survival using chemotherapy adaptations. When the disease involves both eyes or spreads beyond the conjunctiva, the risk of recurrence increases and limited-stage OAML has a recurrence rate of approximately 25% following radiotherapy only. Therefore, although recent consensus in the literature is that patients with limited-stage OAML recommended treating with radiation, physicians may choose the treatment modality not only by its efficiency but also by its adverse events profile and patients' well-being. Herein, we present a large single-center study on OAML that included 292 patients who were followed up for up to 237 months. We collected and analyzed real-world data focusing on treatment outcomes and the role of radiotherapy as frontline therapy, and aimed to compare outcomes and complication profiles of chemotherapy, especially in limited-stage OAML, to identify an optimal treatment strategy.

Clinical Features and Outcomes of Patients with Orbital Schwannoma.

PURPOSE: To report the clinical features, treatment, and outcome of 11 patients with orbital schwannoma in Korean patients. METHODS: The medical records of 11 orbital schwannoma patients treated between April 2007 and April 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. The demographic data, clinical characteristics, radiological features, and outcomes were reviewed. RESULTS: The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 49.00 ± 14.45 years. The most common initial symptom was ocular protrusion (n = 7), and other symptoms were decreased visual acuity ( n = 5), restriction of eye movement ( n = 4), swelling ( n = 3), and pain ( n = 2). Locations of tumors were superomedial; followed by the orbital apex and inferolateral. The most common shape seen in our patients was beads like multilobulated appearance; followed by a round, oval, fusiform, and dumbbell shape. MRI of T1-weighted revealed isointense or hypointense, whereas the T2-weighted indicated hyper or isointense lesion. Five patients had optic neuropathy at presentation, and 1 of them showed improved vision after surgery. Complete or incomplete excision was performed for all. Surgical complications include decreased vision and paraesthesia. There has been no recurrence to date. CONCLUSIONS: Orbital schwannoma is a rare disease and it is difficult to distinguish it from other orbital tumors because the initial symptoms are nonspecific. Differential diagnosis by combining the shape, location, and contrast enhancement findings seen on computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging can be helpful in surgical treatment. Complete excision gives the best results without recurrence, but if the patient is in an inaccessible location, only surgery to reduce the volume can satisfy the patient without recurrence.

Relapse in patients with limited-stage ocular adnexal lymphoma treated by chemoimmunotherapy: Extended follow-up of a phase 2 study.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 50% of limited-stage ocular adnexal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (OAML) patients with adverse prognostic factors relapse after radiotherapy. Chemoimmunotherapy has been proposed as an alternative frontline therapy. However, only a few studies have reported its long-term treatment outcome. METHODS: In 2011, we commenced a phase 2 trial to investigate the efficacy of rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and prednisolone (R-CVP) in bilateral and non-conjunctival limited-stage OAML patients. Results of the clinical trial showed a response rate of 100% and a 4-year progression-free survival of 90.3% without significant toxicity. We extended the study period to December 2020 to determine the long-term efficacy of R-CVP chemoimmunotherapy. RESULTS: At a median observation period of 66.0 months, eight of 33 study patients had relapsed. The cumulative incidence of relapse was 18.9% at 5 years and 44.7% at 8 years. The majority of relapses developed more than 4 years after treatment. Local relapse was more prevalent than distant relapse. The relapse risk of orbital and lacrimal diseases was likely to be higher than that of conjunctival and eyelid diseases (HR: 2.5, 95% CI: 0.498-12.500, p = 0.25). CONCLUSION: Although the response rate was remarkable for chemoimmunotherapy, the risk of late relapse was considerable. Based on our findings, clinical trials for limited-stage OAML patients should have a long-term observation period. To minimize radiation toxicity and reduce the risk of delayed relapse (local relapse and distant relapse), a future study with sequential or combination treatment of local low-dose radiation and systemic chemoimmunotherapy can be considered.

Long-term Efficacy of Dacryoendoscopy-guided Recanalization and Silicone Tube Intubation.

PURPOSE: To investigate the long-term efficacy of dacryoendoscopy-guided recanalization and silicone tube intubation in patients with obstruction in the lacrimal drainage system and to identify factors related to surgical outcome. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with primary nasolacrimal duct obstruction and canalicular obstruction who underwent dacryoendoscopy-guided recanalization and silicone tube intubation between August 2014 and March 2016. Factors related to surgical outcome were examined and compared between the success group (eyes with complete response and partial response) and the failure group. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used to analyze the success rate according to the factors found to have statistical significance. RESULTS: The study included 74 eyes of 51 patients. The mean age of the patients was 60.3 ± 10.0 years (range, 34-80 years). The success group consisted of 66 eyes (89.2%) (complete response, 56 eyes, 75.7%; partial response, 10 eyes, 13.5%) and the failure group consisted of eight eyes (10.8%). The median follow-up period was 58 months (range, 6.5-72 months), and the overall success rate was 89.2%. Compared to the eyes with preoperative lacrimal irrigation test of partial passage, the eyes with no passage were associated with a lower success rate (95.9% vs. 76.0%, p = 0.01). Postoperative inflammation was also associated with a lower success rate (96.6% vs. 60.0%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Dacryoendoscopy-guided recanalization and silicone tube intubation is effective and can be considered a first choice of treatment for eyes which show partial passage in the lacrimal irrigation test. The management of postoperative inflammation is essential to ensure surgical success.

Association between age-related cataract and blepharoptosis in Korean adults: a population-based study.

Cataract and blepharoptosis are both commonly encountered ophthalmic problems in older adults. Since they share similar risk factors, it is plausible that there may be an association between the two conditions. We examined data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2010-2012 to determine if there is an association between age-related cataract and blepharoptosis. Multivariable adjusted logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for association of each specific type of cataract with presence of blepharoptosis. Of the 10,387 eligible participants, 4782 (46.0%) had cataract and 1419 (15.8%) had blepharoptosis. There were more participants with blepharoptosis in the cataract group, compared with those in the no cataract group. After adjusting for potential confounders, participants with blepharoptosis had a higher risk of total cataract (OR: 1.557, 95% CI 1.201-2.019) and nuclear subtype cataract (OR: 1.305, 95% CI 1.050-1.620). Blepharoptosis was associated with significantly higher odds of cataract in obese participants when compared with non-obese participants (p for interaction = 0.0236). Our study revealed a positive association between age-related cataract and blepharoptosis; it suggests that thorough ophthalmic assessment is needed when assessing patients who are planning cataract or blepharoptosis surgery.

Lack of Association between Chlamydophila psittaci and Ocular Adnexal MALT Lymphoma in Korean Patients-Is the Geographic or Genetic Difference Significant?

Clamydophila psittaci (C. psittaci) has been proposed to be an etiologic factor in extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT lymphoma) in the ocular adnexa. However, the pathogenetical significance of the infection has not been fully elucidated. Many previous studies have shown controversial results regarding C. psittaci detection rates in said patients, ranging from 0 to 87%. We investigated the presence of C. psittaci in a single institutional cohort (n = 150) of ocular adnexal MALT lymphoma (OAML) patients in Korea. We tried to exclude the methodological biases derived from the different primer sets in polymerase chain reaction-based studies. For that reason, we applied five sets of primers, including four previously reported and one newly designed primer set. There was no case of C. psittaci-positive OAML in repeated trials validated with appropriate positive and negative controls. All 150 cases showed negative results with five primer sets. These results suggest that the pathogenetic role of C. psittaci in ocular adnexal MALT lymphoma might have been overestimated to date, at least in the Korean population. Therefore, the molecular diagnosis of C. psittaci is considered a very low priority.

Analysis of Clinical Characteristics and Prognosis of Patients With Periocular Malignant Melanoma in Korea.

OBJECTIVE: To report the clinical features of 20 patients with malignant melanoma and to evaluate the survival and prognosis of patients with malignant melanoma in Korea. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The medical records of 20 patients with malignant melanoma treated between March 2004 and March 2020 were reviewed retrospectively. The demographic data, clinical characteristics, and outcomes were also reviewed. Outcome measures included local recurrence, metastasis, and tumor-related mortality. Prognostic factors associated with recurrence, metastasis, and survival were analyzed using a Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: Among the 20 patients with periocular malignant melanoma, 4 (20%) showed local recurrence during follow-up (6.61 ±â€Š6.36 years). The 1-, 5-, and 10-year recurrence rates were 5%, 10.3%, and 24.1%, respectively. 10 (50%) patients developed distant metastasis, mainly involving lung, brain, parotid gland and spine. The 1-, 5-, and 10-year rates of metastasis were 5%, 10.9%, and 35.7%, respectively. Significantly fewer metastases were detected following initial extensive surgical excision (P = 0.04). 8 (40%) patients died of malignant melanoma. The main risk factor for mortality was tumor thickness (HR: 3.88, P < 0.01). Based on Kaplan-Meier survival estimates, the 1-, 5-, and 10-year tumor-related survival rates were 75.8%, 55.6%, and 55.6%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Tumor thickness is a significant prognostic factor affecting the survival rate. It is important to reduce the metastatic rate via extensive resection without leaving any residual tumor in the margin during surgery.

Octreotide inhibits secretion of IGF-1 from orbital fibroblasts in patients with thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy via inhibition of the NF-κB pathway.

PURPOSE: We investigated the effect of octreotide, a long-acting somatostatin (SST) analogue, on IGF-1 secretion and its possible mechanism of action in orbital fibroblasts (OFs) from patients with thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO). MATERIALS AND METHODS: OFs were isolated from the orbital fat of patients with TAO or healthy individuals. The expression level of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, at the protein and mRNA level, was determined with ELISA and quantitative RT-PCR, respectively. The expression pattern of somatostatin receptor (SSTR) 2, which has the highest affinity for octreotide, was examined by flow cytometry. The activity of NF-κB pathway was determined by examining the levels of phosphorylation of IKKα/ß and p65, and degradation of IκB via western blot analysis, and by measuring the activity of NF-kB-dependent luciferase via transfection with plasmids containing luciferase and NF-κB binding site. RESULTS: OFs from patients with TAO showed significantly higher levels of IGF-1 secretion and NF-κB activity even in the absence of stimulation, compared to those from controls. Treatment with octreotide reduced the level of IGF-1 secretion in OFs from patients with TAO, but not in OFs from controls. OFs from patients with TAO expressed higher levels of SSTR2 on the cell surface, compared to controls. In addition, the expression of IGF-1 at the protein and mRNA level was dependent on the activity of NF-κB pathway in OFs from patients with TAO. Furthermore, treatment with octreotide reduced on the activity of NF-κB pathway in OFs from patients with TAO. CONCLUSION: OFs from patients with TAO showed significantly higher levels of IGF-1 secretion via up-regulation of NF-κB activity. Treatment with octreotide inhibited the secretion of IGF-1 by reducing the NF-κB pathway in OFs, which expressed higher levels of SSRT2 on the cell surface, from patients with TAO.

Tear-Derived Exosome Proteins Are Increased in Patients with Thyroid Eye Disease.

Exosomes contain proteins, lipids, RNA, and DNA that mediate intercellular signaling. Exosomes can contribute to the pathological processes of various diseases, although their roles in ocular diseases are unclear. We aimed to isolate exosomes from tear fluids (TF) of patients with Thyroid eye disease (TED) and analyze the exosomal proteins. TFs were collected from eight patients with TED and eight control subjects. The number of TF exosomes were measured using nanoparticle-tracking analysis. The expression of specific proteins in the purified exosome pellets were analyzed using a Proteome Profiler Array Kit. Cultured normal orbital fibroblasts were incubated with TF exosomes from patients with TED and control subjects, and changes in inflammatory cytokine levels were compared. TF exosomes from TED patients showed more exosomes than the control subjects. The expression levels of exosomal proteins vitamin D-binding (VDB) protein, C-reactive protein (CRP), chitinase 3-like 1 (CHI3L1), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and vascular adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) were significantly increased in patients with TED, compared to those of controls. Orbital fibroblasts exposed to TF exosomes from patients with TED showed significantly higher levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) production than those treated with control TF exosomes. Specific proteins showed higher expression in exosomes from TED patients, implying that they may play keys roles in TED pathogenesis.

Nationwide trends in the incidence of orbital lymphoma from 1999 to 2016 in South Korea.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Lymphomas are the most frequent neoplasm of the orbit. However, the epidemiology of orbital lymphomas is not well reported. This study aimed to provide a population-based report on the epidemiology of orbital lymphomas and measure the trends in the incidence of orbital lymphoma cancer in South Korea. METHODS: Nationwide cancer incidence data from 1999 to 2016 were obtained from the Korea Central Cancer Registry. Age-standardised incidence rates and annual percent changes were calculated according to sex and histological types. The analysis according to the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results summary stage classifications was performed from 2006 to 2016. Survival rates were estimated for cases diagnosed from 1999 to 2016. RESULTS: A total of 630 patients (median age: 54 years) with orbital lymphoma in the orbital soft tissue were included in this study. The age-standardised incidence rates increased from 0.03 to 0.08 per 100 000 individuals between 1999 and 2016, with an annual percent change of 6.61%. The most common histopathological type of orbital lymphoma was extra marginal zone B cell lymphoma, accounting for 82.2% of all orbital lymphomas during 1999-2016, followed by diffuse large B cell lymphoma (9.2%). Five-year, 10-year and 15-year overall survival (OS) of orbital lymphoma was 90.8%, 83.8% and 75.8%, respectively. OS showed a significant decrease as age increased and no significant differences between men and women. CONCLUSION: The incidence rate of orbital lymphoma is very low in South Korea. However, the incidence rate has increased over the past years. Orbital lymphomas have a worse prognosis as age increases.

3D morphological classification of the nasolacrimal duct: Anatomical study for planning treatment of tear drainage obstruction.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to analyze and classify morphological features of the nasolacrimal duct (NLD) through 3D reconstruction to help understand the causes and treatment of NLD obstruction. METHODS: In this study, we included 63 males and 55 females who underwent autopsy without NLD obstruction with ages ranging from 20 to 78 years. The NLD was defined from the lacrimal fossa to the opening of the BNLD to the inferior meatus, and all continuous CT images showing the NLD were selected. Segmentation was performed semi-automatically, and the reconstruction and measurement of NLD was performed using the Mimics program. RESULTS: Overall NLD length, bony nasolacrimal duct (BNLD) length, anteroposterior and transverse diameters at the entrance to the BNLD, anteroposterior and transverse smallest diameters of the BNLD, BNLD volume, and lacrimal sac BNLD angle were significantly higher in males than females (p < .05). BNLD direction in the coronal plane was slightly more likely to be inward. The most common type in both sexes was cylinder type (42.0%), males were more likely to have lower-thicker types (34.1%), and females more likely to have upper-thicker types (22.7%). CONCLUSION: There were sex differences in NLD measurements, and females had significantly smaller NLDs. These results may partially explain the increased prevalence of primary acquired NLD obstruction in females. The BNLD tends toward the midline, and inclines posteriorly.

Mantle cell lymphoma with gastrointestinal involvement and the role of endoscopic examinations.

BACKGROUND: Studies on gastrointestinal (GI) tract involvement in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) are lacking. We investigated the clinical characteristics and prognosis of MCL with GI tract involvement. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 64 patients diagnosed with MCL from January 2009 to April 2017. At the time of MCL diagnosis, patients who were identified to have GI involvement by endoscopic or radiologic examination were assigned to the GI-MCL group. The other patients were assigned to the non GI-MCL group. RESULTS: The GI-MCL group included 28 patients (43.8%). The most common endoscopic finding of MCL was lymphomatous polyposis (20/28, 71.4%). The GI-MCL group had higher stage and International Prognostic Index status (P = 0.012 and P = 0.003, respectively). Among the total 51 GI lesions in the GI-MCL group, 31.4% (16/51) were detected only by endoscopic examinations and were not detected on CT or PET-CT. The cumulative incidence of recurrence was higher in the GI-MCL group compared with the non GI-MCL group but the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.082). Stage (HR 1.994, 95% CI 1.007-3.948) and auto PBSCT (HR 0.133, 95% CI 0.041-0.437) were identified as independent predictive factors for recurrence. Recurrences at GI tract were identified in 59.1% (13/22) and 11.1% (2/18) of the GI-MCL and non GI-MCL group, respectively. Among 15 GI tract recurrences, five recurrences were detected only with endoscopic examinations. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopy can reveal the GI involvement of MCL that is not visualized by radiological imaging. Endoscopic examinations are recommended during staging workup and the follow-up period of MCL patients.

Nationwide Trends in the Incidence and Survival of Eyelid Skin Cancers in Korea.

PURPOSE: This study provides a population-based report on eyelid skin cancer epidemiology showing trends in its incidence and survival in South Korea. METHODS: For this population-based epidemiological study, nationwide cancer incidence data were obtained from the Korea Central Cancer Registry, covering the entire population. Age-standardised incidence rates (ASRs) and annual per cent changes (APCs) were calculated according to sex, histological types, stage, and date of diagnosis. The 5-year relative survival rates (RSRs) were estimated for patients diagnosed between 1993 and 2016. RESULTS: The ASR increased from 0.27 per 100,000 population in 1999 to 0.61 in 2016, with an APC of 4.94%. The most common histopathological type was basal cell carcinoma (BCC), accounting for 67.5% of all eyelid skin cancers during 1999-2016, followed by sebaceous gland carcinoma (SGC, 10.7%), and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC, 10.6%). The number of localised cancer diagnoses tended to increase, compared to that of distant cancer. The 5-year RSR was nearly 100% when considering all eyelid skin cancers together. When considering them separately, the 5-year RSR of BCC was nearly 100% throughout, whereas for SGC and SCC, it gradually increased from 94.2% and 87.7% (1993-1995), respectively, to nearly 100% (2011-2016) for both. Melanoma had the lowest survival, although its survival has increased markedly since 1993. CONCLUSIONS: Nationwide data used in this study showed an increase in incidence and survival rates of eyelid skin cancers in Korea. BCC was the most predominant type, and its proportion among all eyelid skin cancer cases has increased.

Underweight increases the risk of primary open-angle glaucoma in diabetes patients: A Korean nationwide cohort study.

The impact of underweight on the risk of developing primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is not known, although the association between obesity and POAG has been well studied. We evaluated the risk of POAG among underweight patients by studying a nationwide cohort sample in South Korea.We analyzed data from the Korean National Health Insurance Research Database collected between 2009 and 2012 for 17,000,636 patients aged 40 years or older. Newly diagnosed POAG in the cohort was identified using claims data between 2009 and 2015.A total of 442,829 individuals (2.60%) were classified as underweight (body mass index [BMI] < 18.5 kg/m). During the follow-up period, 435,756 (2.56%) subjects were newly diagnosed with POAG. Multivariate analyses revealed that underweight was significantly related to an increased risk of future POAG development, by 9.8% and 27.8% in individuals with and without diabetes, respectively. There was a reverse J-shaped relationship between BMI and risk of POAG in the normal, impaired glucose tolerance, and diabetes groups; especially, this relationship was most notable in participants with diabetes.Patients who were underweight exhibited a significantly higher prospective risk of POAG, even after adjusting for confounding factors.

Blepharoptosis among Korean adults: age-related prevalence and threshold age for evaluation.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the prevalence of blepharoptosis among Korean adults and the characteristics of blepharoptosis patients, and to determine an appropriate age threshold for recommending blepharoptosis evaluation. METHODS: The Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES-V) was conducted in 2010-2012. We extracted data on 17,878 Korean adults aged more than and equal to 19 years included in KNHANES-V, and determined blepharoptosis prevalence according to age, to determine the cutoff age for recommending blepharoptosis evaluation. We also determined the possible association between blepharoptosis and obesity parameters, such as body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). RESULTS: There was astrong association between older age and the prevalence of blepharoptosis. The cutoff age for recommending blepharoptosis evaluation was 63 years for males, 70 years for females, and 66 years for all patients. Patients with a high BMI and large WC had a higher prevalence of blepharoptosis in all age groups except for those aged over 80 years. The association of blepharoptosis with BMI according to age group showed that in the 50-59 and 60-69 years age groups, blepharoptosis prevalence and BMI were higher. However, in the 70-79 and 80-89 years age groups, extremely obese patients (BMI > 30) showed a decreased blepharoptosis prevalence. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate to severe blepharoptosis can result in poor visual function and exacerbate headaches and depression, leading to decreased quality of life. This study proposed an appropriate age threshold for recommending evaluation of patients with blepharoptosis among the general population of Korea.