Circulating levels of mannose-binding lectin (MBL) in age-related macular degeneration.

PURPOSE: To assess whether the serum levels of mannose-binding lectin of the lectin complement pathway are associated with age-related macular degeneration. METHODS: Patients with age-related macular degeneration and age-matched controls underwent full ophthalmologic examination and optical coherence tomography. Using a time-resolved immunofluorometric assay, blood samples were evaluated to determine the serum mannose-binding lectin levels. RESULTS: A total of 136 individuals were evaluated, including 68 patients with age-related macular degeneration (34 exudative and 34 nonexudative) and 68 age-matched controls. The median mannose-binding lectin level was 608 ng/mL (range, 30-3,415 ng/mL) in patients with age-related macular degeneration and 739 ng/mL (range, 30-6,039 ng/mL) in controls, with no difference between the groups. Additionally, the median mannose-binding lectin level was 476 ng/mL (range, 30-3,415 ng/mL) in exudative cases and 692 ng/mL (range, 30-2,587 ng/mL) in nonexudative cases. CONCLUSIONS: Serum mannose-binding lectin levels were not associated with age-related macular degeneration or with the exudative and nonexudative forms of the disease.

Circulating levels of mannose-binding lectin (MBL) in age-related macular degeneration / Níveis circulantes da lectina ligadora de manose (MBL) na degeneração macular relacionada à idade

ABSTRACT Purpose: To assess whether the serum levels of mannose-binding lectin of the lectin complement pathway are associated with age-related macular degeneration. Methods: Patients with age-related macular degeneration and age-matched controls underwent full ophthalmologic examination and optical coherence tomography. Using a time-resolved immunofluorometric assay, blood samples were evaluated to determine the serum mannose-binding lectin levels. Results: A total of 136 individuals were evaluated, including 68 patients with age-related macular degeneration (34 exudative and 34 nonexudative) and 68 age-matched controls. The median mannose-binding lectin level was 608 ng/mL (range, 30-3,415 ng/mL) in patients with age-related macular degeneration and 739 ng/mL (range, 30-6,039 ng/mL) in controls, with no difference between the groups. Additionally, the median mannose-binding lectin level was 476 ng/mL (range, 30-3,415 ng/mL) in exudative cases and 692 ng/mL (range, 30-2,587 ng/mL) in nonexudative cases. Conclusions: Serum mannose-binding lectin levels were not associated with age-related macular degeneration or with the exudative and nonexudative forms of the disease.

RESUMO Objetivos: Avaliar se as concentrações séricas da lectina ligante de manose da via das lectinas do sistema complemento estão associadas à degeneração macular relacionada à idade. Métodos: Pacientes com degeneração macular relacionada à idade a controles pareados realizaram exame oftalmológico completo e imagens de tomografia de coerência óptica. As concentrações de lectina ligante de manose foram aferidas em amostras de sangue pelo método "time-resolved Immunofluorometric assay". Resultados: Um total de 136 indivíduos foram avaliados incluindo 68 com degeneração macular relacionada à idade (34 exsudativa e 34 não-exsudativa) e 68 controles. Concentrações medianas de lectina ligante de ma-nose foram 608 ng/mL (30-3,415 ng/mL) nos casos e 739 ng/mL (30-6,039 ng/mL) nos controles, não havendo diferença entre os grupos. Comparando degeneração macular relacionada a idade exsudativa (mediana de lectina ligante de manose 476 ng/mL; 30-3,415 ng/mL) e não-exsudativa (692 ng/mL; 30-2,587 ng/mL) também não apresentaram diferença. Conclusões: Concentrações séricas de lectina ligante de manose não estão relacionadas à degeneração macular relacionada a idade ou às formas exsudativa e não-exsudativa.

A Comparative Optical Coherence Tomography Study of Spinocerebellar Ataxia Types 3 and 10.

SCA3 presents with a CAG expansion at 14q24.3-q32 while SCA10 shows an ATTCT expansion at 22q13-qter. SCA10 seems to be less aggressive than SCA3. For an in vivo, noninvasive approach of the correlation between central nervous system and clinical evolution, we can use optic coherence tomography (OCT) to measure retinal nerve fiber (RNFL) and ganglion cell layer (GCL) thickness. To describe OCT findings in SCA10, correlate it with expansion size and disease severity and compare with those of SCA3. We analyzed ten individuals with SCA3 and nine with SCA10 recruited from the neurology service of Hospital de Clínicas of Paraná-Brazil. They were submitted to OCT and clinical evaluation using SARA score. Expansion size, demographic data, time from disease onset, and age of onset were collected. We found no correlation between size of expansion, SARA, and RNFL or GCL thickness in SCA10. RNFL seemed to be thicker in SCA10 (p > 0.05). GCL thickness, SARA, median age, and time from disease onset did not differ between groups. SCA10 individuals had an earlier disease onset. In SCA3, there was a negative correlation between SARA and RNFL thickness in nasal area. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper assessing retinal changes by OCT in individuals with SCA10. The lack of correlation between disease progression, age, and time since onset supports the anatomopathological findings which suggest SCA10 is less aggressive than other SCAs. The findings in SCA3 are in accordance with the literature.

Long-term visual safety of voriconazole in adult patients with paracoccidioidomycosis.

BACKGROUND: Voriconazole is an antifungal agent with in vitro activity and clinical efficacy against yeasts, molds, and dimorphic fungi (eg, Paracoccidioides brasiliensis). The safety profile of voriconazole includes transient visual adverse events (VAEs) that resolve while undergoing treatment or after its discontinuation. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to assess the long-term (ie, 6-12 months) visual safety of voriconazole in adult patients with paracoccidioidomycosis. METHODS: Ophthalmic data were prospectively collected as part of a multicenter, open-label, comparative study. Patients aged ≥18 years with paracoccidioidomycosis were randomized in a 2:1 ratio to receive either voriconazole (200 mg BID orally, after the loading dose of 400 mg BID on day 1) or itraconazole (100 mg BID orally, with no loading dose). Patients were expected to receive treatment for a minimum of 6 months, or longer if needed as determined by the investigator (maximum duration, 1 year). Visual function tests and safety assessments were performed at baseline, week 12, week 24, end of treatment (EOT), and 8 weeks post-EOT. Ophthalmic examinations included visual acuity, color vision, contrast sensitivity, visual field, funduscopy, and slit lamp biomicroscopy. Treatment compliance was monitored via pill counts at each study visit. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients (mean age, 48 years; 96.2% male; 83.0% white) were randomized to receive voriconazole and 18 to receive itraconazole. Fourteen voriconazole-treated patients received >6 months of treatment (median, 169 days). Efficacy and overall safety results have been published previously. Sixteen voriconazole-treated patients and 2 itraconazole-treated patients experienced drug-related VAEs; none was considered serious or severe or led to dose reductions or resulted in discontinuation. Overall, visual examination results were not clinically significantly different between patients treated with voriconazole or itraconazole. There was no apparent relationship between changes in visual function test results and the occurrence of VAEs in either treatment group. CONCLUSION: Clinical assessment in this study found no evidence of an effect of voriconazole on long-term visual function in these adult patients with paracoccidioidomycosis.

Ceratopatia em faixa bilateral associada com iridoclite crônica no lupus eritematoso sitêmico / Bilateral band-shaped keratopathy associated with iridocyclitis in systemic lupus erythematosus

Lupus eritemaso sistêmico (LES) é uma doença mediada por imunocomplexos e pela produçäo anormal de anticorpos. Atinge principalmente mulheres jovens. Os sinais oculares mais frequentes säo: hemorragia superficial e manchas algodonosas na retina e edema de papila. No segmento anterior podem aparecer episclerite, conjuntivite, iridociclite, ceratite seca e ceratite epitelial punctata. Temos conhecimento de 2 casos de ceratopatia em faixa bilateral associado com LES na literatura, ambos em pacientes do sexo feminino e na terceira década de vida. No presente trabalho relatamos um caso singular de ceratopatia em faixa bilateral e iridociclite crônica em paciente feminina de 14 anos cujos sinais e sintomas sugeriram artrite reumatoide juvenil (ARJ) e que exames clínicos e laboratoriais realizados demonstraram ser LES

Biópsia retiniana para esclarecimento de tumor intra-ocular; relato de um caso / Retinal biopsy for diagnosis of intraocular tumor; a case report

Os tumores intra-oculares na infância necessitam de diagnóstico preciso. No presente trabalho relatamos um caso de tumor intra-ocular em uma criança de 33 dias que tinha o diagnóstico prévio de retinoblastoma. A criança foi encaminhada ao serviço de pediatria devido a problemas respiratórios. Os exames clínicos e complementares evidenciaram vários tumores cardíacos. Optou-se entäo pela biópsia retiniana para esclarecimento do quadro. A biópsia foi feita através de vitrectomia pars plana e o exame histopatológico demonstrou tratar-se de hamartoma astrocístico de retina, compatível com esclerose tuberosa