Factors affecting choroidal circulation parameters in 4-14-year-old Chinese children measured by SS-OCT/OCTA.

PURPOSE: To measure the choroidal circulatory parameters Han Chinese children aged 4-14 years from Southwest China, and to explore the relationships between these parameters and age, axial length (AL), and choroidal thickness (ChT). METHODS: 284 eyes from 142 subjects were included in this cross-sectional study. All participants underwent cycloplegic refraction and IOLMaster500 examination. Swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) was used to measure submacular choroidal thickness, choroidal vascular volume (CVV), choroidal stromal volume (CSV), choroidal vascularity index (CVI), and CVV/CSV ratio. RESULTS: In this population, the mean CVV was 2.92 ± 0.55 mm3, CSV was 4.69 ± 0.68 mm3, CVI was 38.22 ± 2.46 %, and CVV/CSV ratio was 62.11 ± 6.44 %. Multivariable regression analyses showed that both CVV and CSV were negatively correlated with AL (both P < 0.001) and positively correlated with ChT (both P < 0.001), while age showed no significant correlation with them (both P > 0.05). However, the correlations between CVI and age were not uniform rectilinear. Among participants aged ≤8 years, CVI showed no correlation with age (P > 0.05), while among those aged >8 years, it was positively correlated with age (P < 0.01). CVV/CSV ratio was positively correlated with ChT and age (both P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: After the age of 8, age was positively correlated with CVI. ChT was well correlated with CVI. Longer AL and thinner ChT were associated with reduced CVV and CSV, with CVV decreasing more rapidly than CSV.

A prospective cohort study on the effect of lipid accumulation product index on the incidence of cardiovascular diseases.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a chronic disease with a serious prognosis, and obesity is a risk factor for CVD. Lipid accumulation product index (LAP) is a new indicator of obesity, waist circumference, and triglycerides were included in the formula, but its association with CVD is inconsistent. Therefore, this study researched the effect of LAP levels on CVD. METHODS: This prospective cohort study was based on the Kailuan cohort. A total of 95,981 participants who completed the first physical examination in 2006 and had no history of CVD or LAP absence were included. The participants were divided into four groups according to the LAP quartile (Q1 - Q4). Up until December 31, 2022, incidence density was calculated for each group. The hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of CVD in each group were calculated by the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: During a median follow-up period of 15.95 years, 9925 incident CVD events occurred (2123 myocardial infarction and 8096 stroke). There were differences in potential confounders among the four groups (P < 0.001). The incidence density and 95% CI of CVD in Q1-Q4 groups were 4.76(4.54, 5.00), 6 0.50(6.24, 6.77), 8.13(7.84, 8.44) and 9.34(9.02, 9.67), respectively. There were significant differences in the survival curves among the four groups by log-rank test (P < 0.001). After adjusting for potential confounders, Cox proportional hazards model results showed that compared with the Q1 group, the HR and 95% CI of CVD in the Q2, Q3, and Q4 groups were1.15(1.08, 1.23), 1.29(1.21, 1.38) and 1.39(1.30, 1.49), respectively. The HR and 95%CI of myocardial infarction were 1.28(1.10, 1.49), 1.71(1.47, 1.98) and 1.92(1.64, 2.23), respectively. The HR and 95%CI of stroke were 1.11 (1.03, 1.19), 1.20 (1.12, 1.29) and 1.28 (1.19, 1.38), respectively. After subgroup analysis by gender, there was no significant interaction (P = 0.169), and the relationship between LAP and CVD in different genders was consistent with the main results. After subgroup analysis by age, there was a significant interaction (P = 0.007), and the association between LAP and CVD in different age groups was consistent with the main results. After subgroup analysis by BMI, there was no significant interaction (P = 0.506), and the association between LAP and CVD in different BMI groups was consistent with the main results. The results remained robust after sensitivity analyses. For each unit increase in ln(LAP), the HR and 95%CI of CVD were 4.07 (3.92, 4.23). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that the risk of CVD increased with the increase of LAP level. The risk of CVD in group Q2 - Q4 was 1.15, 1.29, and 1.39 times higher than that in group Q1, respectively. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR2000029767.

Press Needle: A Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapy for Myopia Patients with Dry Eye.

Most patients with myopia have dry eye, which has been shown to adversely affect ocular symptoms, myopia progression, and quality of life in patients with myopia. Needle prickling has been shown to be effective in providing symptom relief in patients with myopia and dry eye. Press needle is a long-lasting, easy-to-operate, and inexpensive traditional Chinese medicine treatment. The standard practice of needle insertion is very important for the treatment of myopia and dry eye. The specific steps include selecting the appropriate acupoints, piercing them with appropriate needles, and fixing them in the skin or subcutaneously at the acupoints, burying them for 2 days, resting for 1 day; the course of treatment lasts for 2 weeks. Specifically, the following indicators were assessed: uncorrected visual acuity and the ocular surface disease index. This article will explain how to standardize the operation of a press needle in the treatment of myopia and dry eye.