Systemic Rho-kinase inhibition using fasudil in mice with oxygen-induced retinopathy.

PURPOSE: To investigate the influence of the selective Rho-kinase (ROCK) inhibitor, fasudil, on the mRNA level of proinflammatory factors and the retinal vascular development in mice with oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR). METHODS: C57BL/6J mice underwent standard protocol for OIR induction from postnatal days 7 to 12. Subsequently, they received a daily intraperitoneal injection of fasudil or sodium chloride from P12 to P16. Analyses were performed using vascular staining on retinal flat mounts, RNA expression by qPCR, and immunohistochemistry on paraffin sections. RESULTS: On retinal flat mounts, the proportion of avascular area and tuft formation did not differ between the fasudil and NaCl group. Immunohistochemical staining revealed a less intense staining with inflammatory markers after fasudil. Nevertheless, there were no differences on RNA level between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our findings support that daily systemic application of fasudil does not decrease retinal neovascularization in rodents with oxygen-induced retinopathy. The results of our study together with the controversial results on the effects of different ROCK inhibitors from the literature makes it apparent that effects of ROCK inhibition are more complex, and further studies are necessary to analyze its potential therapeutic effects.

[The analysis of morphological and functional macular changes after surgical treatment of idiopathic macular hole--the single centre experience]. / Analiza zmian morfologicznych i czynnosciowych plamki po leczeniu chirurgicznym idiopatycznego otworu plamki--wyniki wlasne.

PURPOSE: to evaluate morphological and functional macular changes after surgical treatment of idiopathic macular hole. MATERIAL AND METHODS: a retrospective study included 25 patients (30 eyes) who underwent surgery for idiopathic macular hole. Male patients constituted 27% and female patients 73% of the study group. Mean age was 67 years. All patients underwent pars plana vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane peeling and gas tamponade (C3F8 or SF6). We evaluated age, sex, best corrected visual acuity as well a optical coherence tomography scans prior to surgery and postoperatively. The mean follow-up was 6 months. RESULTS: the mean preoperative best corrected visual acuity was 0.15 in Snellen charts (≤ 0.1 - 13 eyes, > 0.1 - 17 eyes) and it increased to 0.5 postoperatively. Five eyes were preoperatively classified as stage 2 Gass scale, 13 eyes as stage 3 and 13 eyes as stage 4. Postoperatively, 25 eyes were assorted as "U" shaped and 5 as "V" shape closure. CONCLUSIONS: surgical treatment of macular hole with pars plana vitrectomy significantly improves macular function measured by the best corrected visual acuity. The "U" shaped closure of macular hole promotes better visual outcomes.