An outbreak of subhyaloid hemorrhage after accidental laser exposure during an Indian festival.

PURPOSE: To report the clinical manifestations and outcomes of patients who experienced retinal damage due to accidental laser exposure during a festival in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. METHODS: Consecutive patients who presented with sudden loss of vision following exposure to laser lights during a religious Indian festival (Ganapati festival) on the same day (9 September 2022) at the same location (idol visarjan procession) were identified from the medical records of various eye hospitals in Kolhapur district of Maharashtra. Eyes with persistent subhyaloid hemorrhage (SHH) were taken up for neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd: YAG) posterior hyaloidotomy. Patients were examined at weekly intervals up to 1 month. RESULTS: Thirty-four eyes of 34 men were identified with age ranging from 18 to 27 years. The mean duration of exposure to the laser projections was 4.9 ± 1.7 h, and the mean distance from the laser source was 7.3 ± 2.7 feet. All presented with SHH involving the macula. SHH had a median size of 3 disc diameters or larger in 30 eyes (88%), and 29 (97%) of these required hyaloidotomy while one patient underwent pars plana vitrectomy. The mean visual acuity improved from 1.45 ± 0.5 log of minimum angle of resolution (logMAR; 20/560 Snellen) to 0.11 ± 0.19 logMAR (20/25 Snellen) (P < 0.001). One eye showed full-thickness macular hole with visual acuity of 20/200. CONCLUSION: We report a large number of patients experiencing laser-induced SHH, resembling an outbreak, due to exposure to a malfunctioning high-powered recreational laser during a religious festival.

Distinct Reproductive Phenotypes Segregate With Differences in Body Weight in Adolescent Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Introduction: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a heterogenous clinical syndrome defined by hyperandrogenism and irregular menses. In adult women with PCOS, discrete metabolic and reproductive subgroups have been identified. We hypothesize that distinct phenotypes can be distinguished between adolescent girls who are lean (LN-G) and girls with obesity (OB-G) at the time of PCOS diagnosis. Methods: Data were extracted from the CALICO multisite PCOS database. Clinical data collected at the time of diagnosis were available in 354 patients (81% with obesity) from 7 academic centers. Patients with body mass index (BMI) < 85th percentile for age and sex were characterized as lean (LN-G) and those with BMI percentile ≥ 95th percentile as obese (OB-G). We compared metabolic and reproductive phenotypes in LN-G and OB-G. Results: Reproductive phenotypes differed between the groups, with LN-G having higher total testosterone, androstenedione, and LH levels, while OB-G had lower sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and higher free testosterone. Metabolic profiles differed as expected, with OB-G having higher hemoglobin A1c, alanine aminotransferase, and serum triglycerides and more severe acanthosis nigricans. Conclusion: LN-G with PCOS had a distinct reproductive phenotype characterized by increased LH, total testosterone, and androstenedione levels, suggesting neuroendocrine-mediated ovarian androgen production. In contrast, phenotypes in OB-G suggest hyperandrogenemia is primarily driven by insulin resistance with low SHBG levels. These observations support the existence of distinct metabolic and reproductive subtypes in adolescent PCOS characterized by unique mechanisms for hyperandrogenemia.

Clinical Characteristics of Offspring Born to Parents with Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosed in Youth: Observations from TODAY.

Diabetes exposure during pregnancy affects health outcomes in offspring; however, little is known about in utero exposure to preexisting parental youth-onset type 2 diabetes. Offspring born to participants during the Treatment Options for Type 2 Diabetes in Adolescent and Youth (TODAY) study were administered a questionnaire at the end of the study. Of 457 participants, 37% of women and 18% of men reported 228 offspring, 80% from female participants. TODAY mothers had lower household income (<$25,000) compared to TODAY fathers (69.4% vs. 37.9%, p = 0.0002). At 4.5 years of age (range 0-18 years), 16.7% of offspring were overweight according to the parental report of their primary care provider, with no sex difference. Offspring of TODAY mothers reported more daily medication use compared to TODAY fathers (50/183, 27.7% vs. 6/46, 12.2%, [p = 0.04]), a marker of overall health. TODAY mothers also reported higher rates of recidivism (13/94) than TODAY fathers (0/23). An Individualized Education Plan was reported in 20/94 (21.3%) offspring of TODAY mothers compared to 2/23 (8.7%) of TODAY fathers. This descriptive study, limited by parental self-reports, indicated offspring of participants in TODAY experience significant socioeconomic disadvantages, which, when combined with in utero diabetes exposure, may increase their risk of health and educational disparities.