Endocan Overexpression in Pterygium.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible role of endocan in the pathogenesis of pterygium. METHODS: The study was conducted on 33 patients with primary pterygium and 20 control subjects with normal bulbar conjunctiva. Patients with pterygium were graded into 3 groups as atrophic, fleshy, and intermediate, according to the Tan classification. Primary nasal pterygia and normal bulbar conjunctivas were surgically removed. Endocan expression was immunohistochemically investigated. RESULTS: Endocan expression in epithelial and endothelial cells was statistically significantly higher in pterygium tissues than control tissues (P = 0.001). No significant correlation was observed between pterygium classification groups and endocan expression in both epithelial and endothelial cells (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that endocan may have a role in the pathogenesis of pterygium.

Necessity of Periodic Ophthalmological Examinations in Binocular B Class Driving Licence Holders Over 50 Years of Age.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether binocular B class driving licence (BBCDL) holders over 50 years old are in compliance with the BBCDL criteria for visual acuity, to determine the age-based prevalence of ophthalmological disorders reducing visual acuity in this group, and to investigate whether periodic ophthalmological examinations are needed in licence holders over 50 years of age. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study enrolled 451 adults over 50 years old having a BBCDL. The study subjects were categorized into 3 age groups as group 1 (51-60 years), group 2 (61-70 years), and group 3 (over 71 years). RESULTS: The mean age of the subjects was 60.02±7.27 years; 338 (74.9%) were male and 113 (25.1%) were female. The BBCDL criteria were met by 353 (78.3%) subjects whereas 98 (21.7%) subjects did not meet them. Eighty-four (85.7%) of 98 patients not meeting BBCDL criteria still drove. The mean age of the subjects meeting BBCDL criteria (58.82±6.77 years) was significantly lower than the subjects not meeting them (64.34±7.40 years) (p<0.001). The most common pathologies in the individuals still driving despite not meeting BBCDL criteria were senile cataract (38.5%) and diabetic retinopathy (23.1%) in group 1, senile cataract (55.3%) and diabetic retinopathy (14.9%) in group 2, and senile cataract (63.6%) and senile macular degeneration+senile cataract (18.2%) in group 3. CONCLUSION: More than a fifth of individuals over 50 years old did not meet the BBCDL criteria, due predominantly to senile cataract, and the majority of these individuals continue to drive. Therefore, we believe that individuals over 50 years old who have a BBCDL should undergo periodic ophthalmological examinations.

Emphasis of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: We investigated the prognostic significance of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio on overall survival and tumor stage in non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma. METHODS: The records of 229 patients with non-metastatic RCC (T1-4N0M0) were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were classified as group 1 (T1 + T2) and group 2 (T3 + T4). The significance of the differences between the groups in terms of averages and median values were investigated with Student's t-test and Mann-Whitney U test, respectively. RESULTS: Patients were divided in two as group 1 (T1 + T2) and group 2 (T3 + T4), consisting of 208 and 21 patients, respectively. Between the two groups, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was found as 2.83 ± 2.15 and 4.79 ± 4.65, respectively (p = 0.02). We found that NLR had a distinctive feature at a cut-off value of 2.9. DISCUSSION: NLR was higher in local advanced tumors. We observed that the cut-off value of NLR is only associated with tumor volume.