Retinal vein and artery occlusion as the first manifestation of primary antiphospholipid syndrome in a pediatric patient / Oclusão arterial e venosa como primeira manifestação da síndrome antifosfolipide primária em criança

ABSTRACT Antiphospholipid syndrome is an acquired autoimmune disease characterized by hypercoagulability associated with recurrent venous and arterial thromboembolism in the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies. Herein, we report a case of rapid sequential retinal vein and artery occlusion as the first manifestation of a primary antiphospholipid syndrome triggered by an acute Mycoplasma infection in a previously healthy 11-year-old patient. On day 1, ophthalmoscopy revealed a central retinal vein occlusion. The patient developed temporal branch retinal artery occlusion the next day. On day 3, a central retinal artery occlusion was observed. Serum lupus anticoagulant, immunoglobulin (Ig) G anticardiolipin, IgG anti-β2-glycoprotein 1 antibody, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae IgM antibody levels were increased. Thus, retinal vascular occlusions can be the first manifestation of primary antiphospholipid syndrome. Although it may not improve visual prognosis, prompt diagnosis and treatment are essential to avoid further significant morbidity.

RESUMO A síndrome antifosfolipide é uma doença autoimune adquirida caracterizada por hipercoagulabilidade associada a tromboembolismo venoso e arterial recorrente na presença de anticorpos antifosfolipídicos. Aqui, relatamos um caso clínico de oclusão sequencial de veia e artéria da retina como primeira manifestação de uma síndrome antifosfolipíde primária desen­cadeada por uma infeção aguda por Mycoplasma num paciente de 11 anos previamente saudável. No primeiro dia, a oftalmoscopia revelou uma oclusão da veia central da retina. No dia seguinte, o paciente desenvolveu uma oclusão do ramo temporal da artéria central da retina. No terceiro dia, uma oclusão da artéria central da retina foi diagnosticada. Os níveis de anticoagulante lúpico sérico, anticorpos IgG anticardiolipina e IgG anti-β2-glicoproteína 1 e anticorpos IgM para Mycoplasma pneumoniae estavam aumentados. As oclusões vasculares retinianas podem ser a primeira manifestação da síndrome antifosfolipíde primária. Apesar do prognóstico visual ser reservado, o seu diagnóstico e o tratamento imediatos são essenciais para evitar outras morbilidades associadas.

Retinal vein and artery occlusion as the first manifestation of primary antiphospholipid syndrome in a pediatric patient.

Antiphospholipid syndrome is an acquired autoimmune disease characterized by hypercoagulability associated with recurrent venous and arterial thromboembolism in the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies. Herein, we report a case of rapid sequential retinal vein and artery occlusion as the first manifestation of a primary antiphospholipid syndrome triggered by an acute Mycoplasma infection in a previously healthy 11-year-old patient. On day 1, ophthalmoscopy revealed a central retinal vein occlusion. The patient developed temporal branch retinal artery occlusion the next day. On day 3, a central retinal artery occlusion was observed. Serum lupus anticoagulant, immunoglobulin (Ig) G anticardiolipin, IgG anti-ß2-glycoprotein 1 antibody, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae IgM antibody levels were increased. Thus, retinal vascular occlusions can be the first manifestation of primary antiphospholipid syndrome. Although it may not improve visual prognosis, prompt diagnosis and treatment are essential to avoid further significant morbidity.

Visual and refractive outcomes following secondary intraocular lens implantation.

PURPOSE: To analyze the visual and refractive results after secondary IOL implantation using different surgical techniques - iris-claw aphakic IOL through a corneal incision or scleral tunnel, and 3-piece IOL into the ciliary sulcus. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective study including patients that were submitted to secondary IOL implantation from January 2017 to December 2019 at the Department of Ophthalmology of Hospital de Braga, Portugal. We collected demographic data (age, surgical indication, comorbidities, surgical technique, IOL implanted, and intra and postoperative complications) and visual and refractive data [preoperative and 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month postoperative corrected-distance visual acuity (CDVA), spherical equivalent (SE), manifest cylinder, and intraocular pressure]. RESULTS: 128 eyes from 123 patients were included. The most frequent surgical indications were IOL subluxation/luxation (62.5%) and intraoperative posterior capsular rupture (23.4%). CDVA improved from 1.26 ± 0.51 to 0.47 ± 0.49 logMar (p < .001). CDVA was significantly better in the 3-piece into the ciliary sulcus IOL group than both other groups. The final SE was -0.68 ± 0.94 diopters. The mean manifest refractive cylinder remained stable until the 6th month after the surgery (p = .454) and improved in the last 6 months of follow-up (p = .015). In the postoperative period, the cylinder was higher in the corneal incision iris-claw aphakic IOL group and lower in the 3-piece IOL into the ciliary sulcus group (p < 0,05). The corneal incision iris-claw aphakic IOL group presented the most postoperative complications. CONCLUSION: All techniques showed satisfying results. The 3-piece IOL into the ciliary sulcus group showed the best visual and refractive performance, followed by the scleral tunnel iris-claw IOL group and the corneal incision iris-claw IOL group.

Intraocular Lens Position and Anterior Chamber Parameters Evaluation After Nd:YAG Laser Posterior Capsulotomy for Posterior Capsular Opacification Using Anterior Segment Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser capsulotomy on intraocular lens (IOL) position and anterior segment parameters with a new swept-source anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) device (Anterion®, Heidelberg Engineering GmbH). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 50 eyes from 50 consecutive patients were included. All patients had visually significant posterior capsular opacification (PCO) after uneventful phacoemulsification surgery with manual capsulorhexis and single-piece C-loop acrylic IOL implantation (AcrySof® SA60AT) and were treated with Nd:YAG laser. Anterior segment images were captured with Anterion® in non-dilated conditions before and one month after the procedure. In the "Metrics App", we collected data of the anterior chamber angle (ACA) 3 and 9 o'clock, the anterior chamber depth (ACD), the anterior chamber volume (ACV), and the central corneal thickness (CCT). We also collected demographic and clinical data [age, gender, months from surgery to Nd: YAG capsulotomy, pre- and post-capsulotomy corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) and spherical equivalent, and axial length]. RESULTS: We did not find a statistically significant difference in ACD after the Nd:YAG capsulotomy (3.96 ± 0.55 vs 3.97 ± 0.55 mm, p = 0.10). In 28 patients, we noted a backward movement of the IOL; in the remaining 22, the IOL moved forward or did not change at all. We did not observe significant changes in ACA at the 3 and 9 o'clock reference points, ACV, or CCT. There was an improvement in CDVA after the procedure (0.37 ± 0.21 vs 0.12 ± 0.27 logMAR, p = 0.015), without statistically significant differences in SE (-0.15 ± 0.84 vs -0.25 ± 0,93, p = 0.42). Axial length was not correlated with ACD variations after the procedure (p = 0.67). CONCLUSION: Our results show that Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy does not change the axial position of a single-piece C-loop acrylic IOL inside the capsular bag, as well as other anterior chamber parameters.

Bilateral papilledema and abducens nerve palsy following cerebral venous sinus thrombosis due to Gradenigo's syndrome in a pediatric patient.

PURPOSE: To report a case of bilateral papilledema and abducens nerve palsy following cerebral venous sinus thrombosis in a 9-year-old female with undiagnosed Gradenigo's Syndrome. OBSERVATIONS: The patient presented to our Emergency Room with a unilateral left 6th nerve palsy, left eye relative afferent pupillary defect, and bilateral papilledema. She underwent cranial magnetic resonance imaging with gadolinium contrast and magnetic resonance venography, which diagnosed a left mastoiditis, left sigmoid sinus and jugular vein thrombosis. The patient underwent urgent mastoidectomy and myringotomy with tube placement and was admitted for adequate treatment with intravenous antibiotics and anticoagulants. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE: Gradenigo's syndrome is a rare complication of otitis media, and even rarer is cerebral venous thrombosis. This potentially life-threatening situation requires immediate surgical and antibiotic therapy. Ocular symptoms can be the initial signs of this illness.

532-nm Subthreshold Micropulse Laser for the Treatment of Chronic Central Serous Retinopathy.

INTRODUCTION: Subthreshold micropulse laser treatment with a 532 nm (532-SML) wavelength has been suggested as a treatment option for the treatment of chronic central serous retinopathy (cCSR). The objective is to present its effects and complications. METHODS: We present a retrospective cohort study of cCSR patients submitted to 532-SML. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) parameters - central macular thickness, subfoveal outer nuclear layer, external limiting membrane, ellipsoid band, interdigitation band, subretinal fluid and choroidal thickness - were evaluated before and 12 weeks after treatment. A power of 50%, a duty cycle of 5%, exposure time of 200 ms and a spot size of 160 µm were the applied laser parameters. RESULTS: We included 26 eyes. Overall there were no significant changes in visual acuity (median 0.20 (IQR 0) logMAR before and after treatment) or SD-OCT parameters. However, visual benefits occurred in 42.3% (n=11) of the patients and in half of the cases, subretinal fluid was completely reabsorbed. There were no complications. CONCLUSION: In this study, 532-SML was overall ineffective on cCSR as it did not lead to significant changes in the overall median visual acuity and SD-OCT parameters. However, some patients may have benefited functionally and anatomically from the treatment; further investigation is necessary to understand the potential of 532-SML.

Effect of TGF-beta1 on MMP/TIMP and TGF-beta1 receptors in great saphenous veins and its significance on chronic venous insufficiency.

Objectives Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-ß1) may participate in local chronic inflammatory processes in varicose veins and in venous wall structure modifications through regulation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) and their inhibitors (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)). The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of TGF-ß1 in the vein wall, namely on the gene expression of selected MMP, TIMP and TGF-ß1 receptors. Methods Healthy vein samples were harvested from eight subjects who underwent coronary bypass graft surgery with great saphenous vein. Each vein sample was divided into two segments, which were cultivated separately in vitro (one of the segments had TGF-ß1 added) and then submitted to gene expression analysis. Results In the TGF-ß1 supplemented group, there was a general increase in the mean gene expression. Specifically, expression of MMP9, MMP12, TIMP1 and TIMP2 were statistically significant. Conclusion The results of this study demonstrate that the gene expression of MMP9, MMP12, TIMP1 and TIMP2 was influenced by the addition of TGF-ß1. These results may be translated to chronic venous insufficiency framework and suggest involvement of TGF-ß1 in the vein wall pathology.