Evaluation of inflammatory parameters in patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a vector-borne parasitic disease characterized by various skin lesions that can cause deformities when healed. Our aim in this study is to show the utility of parameters such as neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), thrombocyte/lymphocyte ratio (TLR), and mean thrombocyte volume (MTV) as auxiliary laboratory methods in CL patients. About 107 patients who were admitted to our dermatological and venereal diseases outpatient clinic between January 2018 and January 2019 and were diagnosed with CL by microscopic examination and 74 healthy individuals were included in the study. There were no significant differences between the patient and control group in terms of neutrophil counts, leukocyte counts, platelet counts, and NLR values (P values: .271, .053, .263, and .459, respectively). When the TLR and MTV values of patients with CL and those of the healthy controls were compared, it was found that TLR and MTV values were statistically higher in patients with CL (P values of .010 and .044, respectively). Based on these data, NLR was not considered to be a suitable parameter for demonstrating inflammation in CL patients, but TLR and MTV were held to be an appropriate parameter for demonstrating inflammation in CL patients. In addition, we think that the increase in MTV and TLR, can be used as an auxiliary laboratory test in the diagnosis of CL disease.

Retinal nerve fibre layer thickness and choroidal thickness: An evaluation in psoriasis patients.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: To conduct a comparative study of retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness and choroidal thickness of psoriasis patients and healthy volunteers. METHODS: This study included 35 severe psoriasis patients, 35 mild psoriasis patients and 35 healthy individuals. RNFL and choroidal thickness analysis were performed by spectral field optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Only patients with psoriasis vulgaris who have not used systemic therapy for the last 3 months were included in the study. RESULTS: In the severe psoriasis group, the RSLT thickness was found to be statistically significantly thinner and the choroid thickness was thicker than the mild psoriasis and control group (P < .001). There was no significant difference in terms of RNLF and choroid thickness compared to mild psoriasis and the control group (P > .05). The correlation between length of the disease duration, RNFL and choroidal thickness was not significant (P > 0,05). CONCLUSION: The increase in choroidal thickness was found to be significant, while with respect to RNFL thickness, a decrease was evident, a possible indicator of damage to microvascular structures in the choroid and ganglion cells, especially in patients with severe psoriasis. Therefore, choroidal and RSLT thickness measurement with OCT device can assist in the detection of damage to psoriasis.

The effect of secukinumab treatment on inflammatory parameters in patients with psoriasis: A multicentre restrospective study.

AIM: Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory disease of the skin with remission and relapses. The aim of this study was to investigate the change in inflammatory parameters such as neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and mean platelet volume (MPV) in patients receiving secukinumab treatment for psoriasis vulgaris (PV). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, we evaluated the laboratory results of 40 patients who were followed up with a diagnosis of PV and received secukinumab treatment in three different dermatology clinics between July 2018 and September 2019. RESULTS: Neutrophil count and leukocyte count were significantly decreased after secukinumab treatment. (P < .001) There was no statistically significant difference between lymphocyte count, platelet count, MPV, NLR and PLR values before treatment and at the 4th month of treatment (P values .230, .065, .110, .915 and .365, respectively). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, it can be concluded that parameters such as NLR, PLR and MPV are not suitable parameters for monitoring the effects of secukinumab treatment on inflammation.

Evaluation of thiol/disulphide balance in patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate serum thiol disulphide levels in patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) compared with a healthy control group and to investigate whether thiol/disulphide balance can be used as a new marker of oxidative stress in CL patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This prospective study included 47 patients diagnosed with CL and 46 healthy individuals without any disease. Native thiol, disulphide and total thiol levels were used in plasma. Disulphide/total thiol, disulphide/native thiol and native thiol/total thiol levels were measured. RESULTS: Disulphide, native thiol disulphide and total thiol disulphide levels were significantly lower in CL patients compared with the control group. However, there was no statistically significant difference between CL patients and the control group in terms of disulphide/native thiol, disulphide/total thiol and native thiol/total thiol values. CONCLUSION: Based on the data in our study, it can be said that the use of thiol/disulphide balance as a new oxidative stress marker in CL patients is not appropriate, but studies with a larger number of patients are needed.

Atypical and unusual morphological variants of cutaneous leishmaniasis.

OBJECTIVE: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a skin disease characterised by prolonged nodulo-ulcerative lesions of the skin that heals with atrophic scar. Clinical features of CL vary depending on the type of parasite and host immune resistance. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical features of atypical and unusual morphological variants of CL patients diagnosed in our clinic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective study, 27 CL patients with atypical clinical features among 486 patients admitted to our clinic between July 2018 and September 2019 and diagnosed as CL by slit-skin smear examination or histopathological examination were included. RESULTS: Of 27 patients, 15 (55.5%) were male and 12 (44.5%) were female. The mean age of the patients was 25.8 ± 7.62 years. Seven (25.9%) patients had lupoid lesions, five (18.6%) patients had eczematoid lesions, four (14.8%) patients had lip lesions, three (11.1%) patients had erysipelas-like lesions, two (7.4%) patients had eyelid lesions, two (7.4%) patients had sporotrichoid lesions, two (7.4%) patients had verrucous lesions, one (3.7%) patient had psoriasiform lesion and one (3.7%) patient had paronychial lesion. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, rare clinical forms of CL are presented in this study. It should be kept in mind that CL may have very different clinical features and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of eczema, psoriasis, erysipelas, sporotrichosis, paronychia and verrucous lesions.

Evaluation of Ocular Surface and Dry Eye Symptoms in Face Mask Users.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the ocular surface and symptoms of dry eye in individuals who wear face masks on a daily basis. METHODS: This prospective study evaluated 52 right eyes of 52 subjects (26 men, 26 women) who routinely wore face masks for at least 8 hrs a day. Mean age was 30.48±6.01 years. All patients were assessed with Schirmer-1 test, Tear Break-up Time (TBUT), Oxford staining grade, and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) at initial clinical admission (T1), after 8 hrs of face mask use (T2), and after 15 days of greater than 8 hrs daily wear of face masks with the open portions of the mask taped down (T3). RESULTS: Mean TBUT was 13.03±2.18 seconds(s) at T1, 9.12±1.85 sec at T2, and 12.78±2.05 sec at T3. Mean Schirmer-1 test results were 16.87±3.01 mm at T1, 12.97±2.74 mm at T2, and 17.01±2.95 mm at T3. There was a significant difference between T1 and T2, and between T2 and T3 in TBUT (P<0.001), Schirmer-1 results (P<0.001), and Oxford staining grade (P=0.030, P=0.003, respectively). There was a significant difference between all examination times in OSDI score (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: Improper use of face masks may cause increased ocular irritation and dry eye symptoms. Taping down the upper portion of the face mask blocks exhaled air from directly entering the eyes, preventing potential symptoms of dry eye.

Comparison of refractive outcomes using Scheimpflug Holladay equivalent keratometry or IOLMaster 700 keratometry for IOL power calculation.

PURPOSE: This study aims to compare postoperative refractive error results using Pentacam (Oculus Optikgeräte GmbH) Holladay equivalent keratometry readings (EKR) or IOLMaster 700 (Carl Zeiss Meditec AG) keratometry (K) values in IOL power calculation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 54 eyes of 31 patients who underwent cataract surgery. Preoperative biometric measurements of all patients were obtained using IOLMaster 700 followed by Pentacam measurements. IOLMaster 700 K measurements on horizontal (K1) and vertical (K2) axes and EKR measurements on 2 mm (EKR2mm), 3 mm (EKR3mm) and 4.5 mm (EKR4.5 mm) corneal zones were recorded. EKR4.5 mm value and IOLMaster 700 K values were used in Holladay-II, SRK/T, Haigis, and Hoffer-Q formulas to calculate predictive refractive error (PRE). Absolute refractive error (ARE) was calculated as the absolute difference between actual postoperative refractive error (APRE) and PRE values. RESULTS: Mean age was 72.2 ± 8.3 (51-87) years and mean IOL power was 21.5 ± 2.9 D (18-23 D). There was no significant difference between PRE values when IOLMaster 700 K measurements and EKR4.5 mm K measurements were used in Holladay-II, SRK/T, Haigis, and Hoffer-Q formulas (p = 0.571, p = 0.833, p = 0.165, p = 0.347, respectively). There was no significant difference between APRE and ARE values (p = 0.124). According to mean ARE results, the closest estimate was achieved when the IOLMaster 700 K values were used in the Holladay-II formula (p = 0.271). CONCLUSION: IOLMaster 700 K measurement and Pentacam EKR4.5 mm measurements can be used interchangeably. IOLMaster 700 K values yielded the most predictive measurement of the refractive result using the Holladay-II formula.

Evaluation of inflammatory parameters in lipoid proteinosis patients.

Lipoid proteinosis (LP) is a rare metabolic storage disease characterized by the storage of hyaline-like substances in the skin, mucosa, and many other organs. The aim of this study was to compare the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelets/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and mean platelet volume (MPV) values of LP patients with healthy control group and to determine the usefulness of these parameters in determining the inflammatory status in LP patients. This study included 14 patients who were admitted to our clinic between March 2013 and January 2017 and diagnosed as LP with clinical, radiological, and histopathological examinations with 14 individuals who had no systemic inflammatory disease or malignancy and has a hemogram result. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in comparison to the MPV and PLR values of the patients with LP and healthy controls (P values 0.666 and 0.654, respectively). When the NLR values of the patients with LP and healthy controls were compared, it was found that the LP-diagnosed NLR values were statistically higher. (P: 0.019). In conclusion, it can be said that NLR is an appropriate parameter in demonstrating inflammation in LP patients, but PLR and MPV are not a suitable parameter in demonstrating inflammation in LP patients. Prospective studies with more patients are needed.

Effects of disease severity on quality of life in patients with psoriasis.

Psoriasis is one of the leading dermatological diseases that can result in degradation in quality of life (QOL). We aimed to evaluate the effects of disease severity on QOL in psoriasis patients living in our region. Fifty-nine female and 41 male patients diagnosed with psoriasis were included in the study. The Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) was used to determine disease severity. The Psoriasis Quality of Life Questionnaire (PQLQ) was used to evaluate QOL. The mean PASI score was 14.3 ± 10.1. The PQLQ and subscale scores were not affected by age, marital status, educational status, or age at onset of the disease etc. parameters (P > .05). Additional drug use, joint involvement, and lesion site exposure were found to increase psychosocial negativity scores significantly (P < .05). The mean scores for difficulties in daily life and treatment problems were significantly higher in men than in women (P < .05). There was a positive correlation between PASI scores and PQLQ, PQLQ subgroup scores. We found that QOL decreased with increasing severity of the disease. QOL as well as clinical severity should be considered in the planning and follow-up of psoriasis treatment. To evaluate the QOL, we believe that the PQLQ can be used as demonstrated in our study.

Changes in ocular biometric parameters after renal transplantation.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the changes in postoperative ocular biometric parameters in end-stage renal disease patients who underwent renal transplantation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective study included a total of 33 eyes of 33 patients. The ocular biometric measurements which were evaluated were axial length (AL), central corneal thickness (CCT), anterior chamber depth (ACD), corneal keratometry (K1 and K2), degree of astigmatism, lens thickness (LT), and intraocular pressure (IOP). Refractive prediction error (RE) was calculated before and after renal transplantation using the same diopter (D) for intraocular lens (IOL) power calculation and evaluated for potential cataract surgery. RESULTS: The study included 15 male (45%) and 18 female (55%) patients. Mean patient age was 31.55 ± 8.24 (range: 18-49 years). In the comparison of preoperative and 1-month postoperative measurements, there was a statistically significant difference in AL, LT, ACD, and CCT (p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between K1, K2, and astigmatism measurements (p = 0.72; p = 0.35; p = 0.62, respectively). There was no statistically significant difference in RE (p = 0.61-Holladay 2). CONCLUSION: While renal transplantation surgery does not lead to significant changes in astigmatism, predicted refractive error, corneal keratometry, or intraocular pressure, it causes significant decrease in axial length, lens thickness, and central corneal thickness and significant increase in anterior chamber depth. However, these changes do not result in significant changes in IOL power calculation in planned cataract surgery.

Thiol/disulphide balance in patients with psoriasis.

INTRODUCTION: Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease with unknown etiopathogenesis. AIM: To examine the thiol/disulfide balance in psoriasis patients and to compare the results with a healthy control group. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Eighty patients with psoriasis and 80 healthy individuals who were age- and gender-matched with these patients were included in this study. Serum native thiol, disulfide and total thiol levels were measured by a new automated method developed by Erel and Neselioglu. Disulphide/total thiol, disulphide/native thiol and native thiol/total thiol were calculated. RESULTS: While there was no statistically significant difference in terms of disulphide levels (SS) between the patient and control groups (p > 0.05), there were significant differences in terms of total thiol and native thiol (SH) levels, SS/SH, SS/total thiol and SH/total thiol ratios between the patient and control groups (p < 0.05). There was a statistically significant relationship between duration of the disease and the disulfide/native thiol ratio (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In recent years, there have been few studies on the role of oxidative stress in the etiopathogenesis of psoriasis. In this study, we investigated in psoriasis patients, thiol/disulfide balance as a new oxidative stress marker. The results were compared with a healthy control group. Our results showed that thiol/disulphide balance shifted towards disulphide in psoriasis patients. This is important as a finding that supports the role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.

Trace elements and oxidative stress status in patients with psoriasis.

INTRODUCTION: Psoriasis is a common, inflammatory skin disease of which etiopathogenesis is still not explained clearly, however in which trace elements and oxidative stress are considered to play a role. AIM: To evaluate the serum trace element and oxidative stress levels in patients diagnosed with psoriasis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 87 psoriasis patients and 60 healthy subjects were included in the study. Serum sodium (Na), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu) levels, oxidative stress parameters, ischemia-modified albumin (IMA), catalase (CAT), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and ferroxidase (FOX) activity and an inflammatory marker, C-reactive protein (CRP), were examined in all participants. RESULTS: IMA, IMA/Albumin (IMA/Alb), CAT, Cu, FOX and CRP levels were found to be significantly higher; Se, Zn and albumin levels were significantly lower in the patient group as compared to the control group. No significant difference was found between groups with regard to Na, K, Ca, P, Mg, Fe and MPO levels. CONCLUSIONS: Some trace element levels and oxidant-antioxidant balance were changed in psoriasis patients.

Assessment of autonomic nervous system functions and cardiac rhythms in patients using isotretinoin.

AIM: The aim of the study was to analyze the potential effects of isotretinoin, frequently used in the treatment of acne vulgaris these days. MATERIAL AND METHODS: For this purpose, we used the methods of sympathetic skin response (SSR) electrophysiological analysis and electrocardiographic (ECG) analysis in patients using isotretinoin. Thirty patients who were diagnosed with acne vulgaris and treated with oral isotretinoin with a dose of 0.5 mg/kg for at least 1 month were included in the study. In all patients ECG scanning and SSR analysis were performed both before treatment and 1 month after the start of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This study is very important because SSR results show that increasing the existing sympathetic activity in acne vulgaris after isotretinoin usage could explain the exacerbation in acne lesions for the first month, and according to the ECG results the medication did not cause cardiac side effects.

Dynamic thiol/disulphide homeostasis in vitiligo patients.

INTRODUCTION: Vitiligo is an acquired depigmentation disorder with melanocyte destruction. AIM: To examine the thiol/disulphide balance in vitiligo patients and to compare the results with a healthy control group. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-two patients with vitiligo and 35 healthy individuals were included in the study. Native thiol, disulfide and total thiol levels in plasma were evaluated using a new and automated spectrophotometric method. Disulphide/total thiol, disulphide/native thiol and native thiol/total thiol levels were measured. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups when the patient and control groups were compared in terms of thiol/disulphide balance (p > 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in native thiol, disulphide and total thiol levels for vitiligo when compared with the control group (p > 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: In recent years, there have been numerous studies on the role of oxidative stress in the etiopathogenesis of vitiligo. In this study, we investigated in vitiligo patients whether thiol/disulphide balance is a new oxidative stress marker. The results were compared with a healthy control group. We measured the thiol/disulphide balance by a new method developed by Erel and Neselioglu. The serum thiol/disulphide levels were similar in the vitiligo patients and the control subjects, which indicated that the thiol/disulphide balance was not affected by vitiligo. We are of the opinion that new investigations to determine serum levels of thiol/disulphide may shed light on the possible roles of these molecules in vitiligo.

[Investigation of the prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis among female Syrian refugees with the complaints of vaginitis aged between 15-49 years]. / Vajinit yakinmalari olan 15-49 yas arasindaki Suriyeli mülteci kadinlarda Trichomonas vaginalis sikliginin arastirilmasi.

Since the Syrian civil war began in 2011, most of the Syrian refugees have immigrated to Turkey due to its open gate policy and the width of the border. By the end of 2015, it was estimated that there were 2.5 million Syrian refugees in Turkey. Many of the Syrian refugees live in Sanliurfa due to its location on the border with Syria. Trichomonas vaginalis, apart from viral agents is the most common parasite among sexually transmitted infection agents. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of T.vaginalis among female married Syrian refugees living outside of the camps in Sanliurfa city center, aged between 15-49 years with complaints of vaginitis. This multi-purpose survey was carried out between February and March of 2015, in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund and Harran University. This study was approved under the heading of "General Health Status of Female Syrian Refugees" by the Ethics Committee of Harran University Faculty of Medicine. A total of 460 Syrian refugees house were selected using the probability cluster sampling method, with a 95% confidence level and a 5% confidence interval with a design effect. Two women refused to participate in the study, and the response rate was 99.6%. Two Syrian nurses, one laboratory technician, and one interpreter who knew Kurdish and Arabic were hired for the field survey. A structured questionnaire written in Turkish was translated to Arabic and used to collect the sociodemographic data during face to face interviews. According to the questionnaire data, the women with the complaints of vaginal discharge, unusual vaginal bleeding and/or dyspareunia were invited to the Gynecology Department of Harran University Research and Training Hospital for a medical examination. During gynecological examination, swab samples obtained from posterior fornix were evaluated by direct microscopy and Giemsa staining methods for the presence of T.vaginalis trophozoites. Of 458 women who have participated the questionnaire survey, 232 (50.6%) have declared that they had vaginitis complaints. Accordingly, 157 symptomatic and non-pregnant women were invited to the hospital, however only 89 (56.7%) accepted the invitation. T.vaginalis infection was detected in 19 (21.3%) by direct microscopy, and in 32 (36%) by Giemsa staining of the samples taken during the examination of those 89 women (mean age: 31.6 ± 8.7 years). In the gynecological examination, 56.2% (50/89) of the women were clinically diagnosed as vaginitis. A statistically significant association was detected between T.vaginalis positivity and the cases with or without the clinical vaginitis diagnosis (p< 0.001). Our data indicated that the prevalence of T.vaginalis (36%) detected in the female Syrian refugees is higher than the prevalence (3-13%) of our general population, but it is close to the prevalence (40%) in groups with risky behaviors (sex workers). In conclusion, health screening studies and health educations about safe sex life for Syrian refugees would be useful in the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases.

The impact of pretreatment with bolus dose of enteral glutamine on acute lung injury induced by oleic acid in rats.

PURPOSE: Both parenteral and enteral glutamine have shown beneficial effects in sepsis and ischemia/reperfusion-induced acute lung injury (ALI). Oleic acid (OA) has been used to induce ALI in experimental studies. In this study, we investigated the effects of pretreatment of a bolus dose of enteral glutamine on ALI induced by OA in rats. METHODS: Twenty-eight adult female Sprague-Dawley rats weighing 240-300 g were divided into four groups, 7 in each. Group I and group II received normal saline for 30 days, group III and group IV received glutamine at a dose of 1 g/kg for 10 days by gavage, and in group II and group IV 100 mg/kg OA was administered i.v. Histopathological examination of the lung was performed with light and electron microscopy. Levels of protein carbonyl, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase levels were measured in tissue samples. Levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, and total tissue oxidant status and total tissue antioxidant status were measured in serum samples. RESULTS: Light microscopy showed that the total lung injury score of group IV was significantly lower than group II. Change in thickness of the fused basal lamina was not significantly different in groups II and IV under electron microscopy. TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 serum levels were higher in group II when compared to group I and significantly attenuated in group IV. CONCLUSION: Pretreatment with a bolus dose of enteral glutamine minimized the extent of ALI induced by OA in rats.

Pediatric Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Turkey: A Retrospective Analysis of 8047 Cases.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is common in the pediatric population, but there are only a limited number of studies focused on the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients in this age group. In this study, our objective was to investigate the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of pediatric subjects diagnosed with CL. A total of 8047 patients who had been diagnosed with CL between 2010 and 2021 in an endemic region were included in this retrospective study. The clinical and demographic characteristics such as age, gender, number, size, duration, location, and type of lesions and the administered CL treatments were recorded. In order to better understand the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients with pediatric CL (PCL), the study patients were divided into three groups according to their age (0-6, 7-12, and 13-18 years) and the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of these groups were compared. When patients with PCL were compared according to age groups, it was found that the highest number of patients were in the 13-18 age group. It was determined that the patients in the 6-12 age group had fewer lesions, that and the size of the lesions was smaller than the other groups. The disease duration was the longest in the 0-5 age group. The highest rate of nodular, ulcerated, and recurrent lesions was in the 13-18 age group, and the highest rate of papular lesions was in the 6-12 age group. Systemic pentavalent antimony therapy (IM or IV) was administered to 438 patients with PCL (5.44%), while intralesional pentavalent antimony therapy (IL) was administered to 7447 patients (92.54%). Patients receiving systemic therapy had larger lesions compared with patients receiving IL therapy and no treatment. The lesion duration was longer in patients who received systemic treatment, and the number of lesions was higher than those who received IL treatment. The highest rate of systemic treatment was in the 13-18 age group (43.8%). In conclusion, our study found that the intragroup comparison of the age group with the highest CL rate displayed similar clinico-epidemiological characteristics reported in previous studies conducted in the same region.

Prognostic factors and clinical features of rhino-orbital-mucormycosis cases: an update for patient and visual survivals.

AIM: To determine the frequency of patients' vision survival and prognostic factors and evaluate clinical features in rhino-orbital mucormycosis. METHODS: Forty-three eyes of 43 patients followed up with orbital mucormycosis infections were included in the study. Demographic characteristics of the patients, symptoms at admission, ophthalmologic and non-ophthalmologic examination findings, clinical findings during follow-up, medical and surgical procedures, and complications were recorded. Patient survival was determined by assessing the incidence of mortality, and vision survival was defined as achieving a final visual acuity of at least light perception. RESULTS: Twenty-seven (62.8%) patients were male, and 16 (37.2%) were female. When the underlying disease status of the patients was examined, it was observed that all patients had an underlying disease and diabetes constituted the majority (65.2%). Periorbital swelling (69.8%) and ophthalmoplegia (53.5%) were the most common symptoms and findings at the admission of patients with mucormycosis infection. The disease resulted in death in 22 (51.2%) patients. The presence of fever and shorter duration of antifungal therapy were associated with lower patient survival. Exenteration surgery was not found to be associated with the survival of the patients. Frozen eye, loss of pupillary light reflex, and development of central retinal artery occlusion were associated with lower vision survival. CONCLUSION: This study presents one of the most extensive patient series in the literature on rhino-orbital mucormycosis. Knowing the patients' symptoms at the time of admission and the clinical findings during the infection process will increase awareness about the disease.

Management and Clinical Outcomes of Eyes With Posterior Segment Intraocular Foreign Bodies Seen at a Tertiary Referral Center.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify the prognostic factors regarding the visual and anatomic outcomes of eyes with posterior segment intraocular foreign body (PS-IOFB). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The medical records of 95 patients who underwent pars plana vitrectomy and PS-IOFB removal between 2004 and 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Data on anatomical and visual outcomes, as well as preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative variables were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 31.9 ± 12.3 years. The mean follow-up time was 21.9 ± 28.3 months. The median time interval from trauma to IOFB removal was 9 days. In univariate analysis, there was a positive correlation between initial visual acuity (VA) and final VA (P < 0.001). A higher ocular trauma score (OTS) was significantly associated with both anatomical and functional success (P < 0.001). Linear regression analysis showed that OTS was not superior to initial VA in predicting final VA (r = 0.625 vs r = -0.601). Anatomic and functional outcomes were not affected by the injury site, nature of PS-IOFB, or timing of PS-IOFB removal (P > 0.05 for all). Subretinal IOFB location, the need for silicone oil tamponade, and endophthalmitis (P = 0.005, P < 0.001, P = 0.044, respectively) were risk factors for poor visual outcome. CONCLUSIONS: The initial VA, the extent of the initial ocular damage, and the presence of endophthalmitis are important prognostic factors for functional success. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina 2024;55:xx-xx.].

Investigation of changes in retinal vascular parameters and choroidal vascular index values during the early recovery period of COVID-19: The COVID-OCTA study.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 effects microvasculature in many tissues. This study investigated whether the choroidal structure is also affected. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 80 patients with COVID-19 and the same number of age- and gender-matched healthy individuals. All participants' right eye measurements were examined. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) was used for imaging. Otherwise, two independent researchers used the Choroidal vascular index (CVI) for choroidal parameters calculation. RESULTS: Superior and deep flow values were lower in the COVID-19 group than in the control group, and vascular density (VD) values were lower in all regions in this group. Except for the superior mean VD, there was no statistically significant difference (p = 0.003). However, the COVID-19 group had significantly lower subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFChT) measurements than the control group (p = 0.001). In addition, no significant difference was observed between the groups in evaluating mean CVI values (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Noninvasive diagnostic tools such as OCTA and EDI-OCT can be used to monitor early changes in diseases affecting microvessels, such as from COVID-19.