A Case Report of Primary Aldosteronism and Extensive Hypertension-Mediated Organ Damage.

Primary aldosteronism, the most common curable form of secondary hypertension, is associated with greater hypertension-related organ damage and cardiovascular complications compared to primary essential hypertension. The authors present a case involving a 41-year-old Black male admitted to the emergency department with left hemiparesis and blurred vision persisting for one hour, accompanied by markedly elevated blood pressure (220/140 mmHg). The patient was asymptomatic by then, and, aside from a history of tobacco smoking and occasional cannabis use, lacked significant medical comorbidities. Further investigations revealed a right acute hemorrhagic stroke, bilateral grade 4 hypertensive retinopathy, chronic kidney disease with end-stage renal disease, hypokalemia, and an elevated aldosterone/renin ratio. An abdominal CT scan showed bilateral adrenal hyperplasia. The patient was diagnosed with primary aldosteronism with extensive hypertension-mediated organ damage. This case highlights the significant harm caused by undiagnosed primary aldosteronism-induced secondary hypertension, emphasizing the importance of timely diagnosis and intervention to prevent organ damage.

Optical coherence tomography angiography assessment of retinochoroidal microcirculation differences in preeclampsia.

BACKGROUND: To investigate microvascular changes in pregnant women with preeclampsia using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and compare the results with healthy pregnant and non-pregnant subjects. METHODS: Superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP) choriocapillaris (CC) vessel density (VD) and foveal avascular zone area (FAZ), retina, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), the ganglion cell layer (GCL) and the choroidal thickness were examined and compared in preeclamptic pregnant (group 1), healthy pregnant women (group 2) and non-pregnant, age-matched female controls (group 3). The correlations of the parameters with each other and with blood pressure were evaluated. RESULTS: No significant difference was found between the groups when retinal, RNFL and GCL thickness values (p> 0.05). The choroidal thickness values were significantly lower in group 1 than in group 2 (p = 0.029). The central foveal VD of the SCP and DCP was significantly lower in group 1 compared to groups 2 and 3 (p = 0.03, p< 0.01 respectively). The mean VD of the SCP was significantly higher in groups 1 and 2 than in group 3 (p = 0.01). The FAZ area was statistically significantly lower in group 3 than in group 2 (p = 0.032). The CC VD was lower in group 3 compared to the other groups in all measurements (p < 0.01).The FAZ area was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure in group 1. CONCLUSION: The use of OCTA, a non-invasive imaging technique, to assess the retinal microcirculation appears to have the potential to in the early diagnosis or follow up in preeclampsia before signs of hypertensive retinopathy.

Fucoidan modulates SIRT1 and NLRP3 to alleviate hypertensive retinopathy: in vivo and in vitro insights.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension influences the inflammatory pathological changes in the retina. The function of the inflammasomes is significant. To see if Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) regulates angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced hypertensive retinopathy and inflammation by modulating NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation and the potential protective effects of fucoidan (FO) in mouse retinal vascular endothelial cells (mRECs) and mice retina. METHODS: The diagnosis of hypertensive retinopathy was made after three weeks of Ang II infusion (3000 ng/kg/min). One day prior to the commencement of Ang II infusion, the mice were treatment with NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950 (10 mg/kg/day, intraperitoneal injections) or FO (300 mg/kg/day, oral gavage). A blood pressure was recorded. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was used to conduct pathological alterations, dihydroethidium bromide (DHE) was utilized to assess oxidative stress damage in the retina, and fluorescence angiography was used to identify vascular disorders in the eye. Using immunohistochemical labeling, NLRP3 expression was found. Reactive protein and mRNA expression levels in mouse retina and cells were assessed using Western blot and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). RESULTS: NLRP3 inflammasome activation and SIRT1 decrease were brought about by Ang II infusion. Retinopathy and dysfunction were lessened by MCC950 target-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation, while overexpression of SIRT1 had the opposite impact on NLRP3 inflammasome activation, indicating that SIRT1 functions as an upstream regulator of NLRP3 activity. FO may improve SIRT1 expression and decrease NLRP3 activation in retinopathy and dysfunction brought on by Ang II, and the effects were consistent across both in vivo and in vitro models. CONCLUSIONS: SIRT1 adversely regulates the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway, which in turn increases Ang II-induced inflammation and hypertensive retinopathy. FO may mitigate Ang II-induced retinopathy and dysfunction via modulating the expression of SIRT1/NLRP3. This implies practical approaches to the management of hypertensive retinopathy.

HDR-EfficientNet: A Classification of Hypertensive and Diabetic Retinopathy Using Optimize EfficientNet Architecture.

Hypertensive retinopathy (HR) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) are retinal diseases closely associated with high blood pressure. The severity and duration of hypertension directly impact the prevalence of HR. The early identification and assessment of HR are crucial to preventing blindness. Currently, limited computer-aided methods are available for detecting HR and DR. These existing systems rely on traditional machine learning approaches, which require complex image processing techniques and are often limited in their application. To address this challenge, this work introduces a deep learning (DL) method called HDR-EfficientNet, which aims to provide an efficient and accurate approach to identifying various eye-related disorders, including diabetes and hypertensive retinopathy. The proposed method utilizes an EfficientNet-V2 network for end-to-end training focused on disease classification. Additionally, a spatial-channel attention method is incorporated into the approach to enhance its ability to identify specific areas of damage and differentiate between different illnesses. The HDR-EfficientNet model is developed using transfer learning, which helps overcome the challenge of imbalanced sample classes and improves the network's generalization. Dense layers are added to the model structure to enhance the feature selection capacity. The performance of the implemented system is evaluated using a large dataset of over 36,000 augmented retinal fundus images. The results demonstrate promising accuracy, with an average area under the curve (AUC) of 0.98, a specificity (SP) of 96%, an accuracy (ACC) of 98%, and a sensitivity (SE) of 95%. These findings indicate the effectiveness of the suggested HDR-EfficientNet classifier in diagnosing HR and DR. In summary, the HDR-EfficientNet method presents a DL-based approach that offers improved accuracy and efficiency for the detection and classification of HR and DR, providing valuable support in diagnosing and managing these eye-related conditions.

Impact of coronary artery bypass grafting surgery on the chorioretinal biomicroscopic characteristics.

BACKGROUND: Most patients with cardiovascular disorders suffer from coronary artery diseases, which can be treated successfully using coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). One of the unpleasant events following CABG is postoperative vision loss (POVL). Vulnerability of retinal vessels to hemodynamic changes, an expectable event following CABG, may contribute to the development of POVL, which might be associated with the changes in the choroidal and retinal structures. AIM: To investigate postoperative changes in chorioretinal and peripapillary nerve fiber layer (NFL) thickness, and progression of diabetic and hypertensive retinopathy after CABG. METHODS: In this prospective, cross-sectional study, 49 eyes in 25 candidates for CABG underwent both ophthalmic and cardiovascular examinations within 6 mo prior to and 9 mo after surgery. RESULTS: Among the study participants, 56% were male with a mean age of 62.84 years ± 10.49 years (range 33-80 years). Diabetes mellitus was observed in eight participants (32%). None of the patients suffered from postoperative anterior or posterior ischemic optic neuropathy, central retinal artery occlusion, and cortical blindness. The mean value of the preoperative best corrected visual acuity was 0.11 ± 0.10 logMAR (range, 0-0.4), which worsened to 0.15 ± 0.08 logMAR (range, 0-0.4) after CABG (P = 0.031). No significant difference was observed between the pre- and postsurgical choroidal (P = 0.853) and macular (P = 0.507) thickness, NFL thickness in the subfoveal (P > 0.999) and peripapillary areas (P = 0.659), as well as the severity of diabetic and hypertensive retinopathy. CONCLUSION: CABG may reduce visual acuity without affecting ocular structures. Postoperative vision reduction might be attributable to molecular or cellular variations, changes in visual pathway function, or central nervous system.

Hypertensive Retinopathy as a Presenting Sign of Pheochromocytoma with Malignant Hypertension: A Child Case.

A 13-year-old was admitted to our clinic complaining about a vision loss of over 2 weeks. Bilateral optic disc edema, peripapillary flame-shaped hemorrhages, macular star pattern exudates, and cotton wool spots were found in fundoscopic examination. The OCT exam showed bilaterally serous retinal detachments in sub-foveal region with intraretinal exudates. A pediatric examination found a high systemic hypertension of 230/140 mm Hg, and laboratory tests revealed increased levels of plasmatic and urinary catecholamines. An abdominal MRI showed a left suprarenal pheochromocytoma and the child underwent an adrenalectomy urgently. Informed patient consent was obtained from legal guardians to publish clinical images. Malignant hypertension (MHT) as a result of a pheochromocytoma is an extremely rare condition in childhood. MHT crisis represents a potential life-threatening event and an immediate treatment can prevent a multi-organ failure, including the eyes. An early diagnosis of MHT by fundus examination can lead to a completely favorable ophthalmological evolution and entirely functional recovery.

Eye Lesions in Patients After One Year of Kidney Transplantation.

Purpose: Determine the incidence of some eye lesions in kidney transplant patients after one year at Military Hospital 103 and comment on related factors. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study description of 111 kidney transplant patients (222 eyes) at Military Hospital 103. We assessed several eye lesions, including dry eyes, corneal conjunctival calcification, cataracts, and retinopathy. Results: The rate of retinopathy was 84.7%, dry eye was 59.5%, cataract was 29.7%, and corneal conjunctival calcification was 24.8%, atrophy optic nerve was 9.9%, epiretinal membrane was 1.8%. Post-transplant influence factors associated with cataracts include the dose of prednisolone (OR= 1.6, p < 0.05) and post-transplant diabetes (OR=1.4, p < 0.05). The influence factor related to the atrophy of the optic nerve is systemic infection after transplantation (OR=2.4, p < 0.05). Conclusion: Retinopathy accounted for the highest rate, followed by dry eye disease; cataracts ranked third; and finally, calcified corneal conjunctiva. Factors that affect cataracts are diabetes mellitus and prednisolone dose. Factors affecting optic nerve atrophy are infections after kidney transplantation.

Decreased retinal and choroidal endothelial surface molecules in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Hypertension is associated with changes in the retina and choroid, with resulting consequences of increased vascular permeability and microhemorrhages. To date, very little information is available regarding the changes in the retinal and choroidal endothelial surface layer. In this study, we have examined changes in protein expression of several molecules including platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1), vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-cadherin), glypican-1, and syndecan-1, in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) compared to control normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats. In male SHR vs WKY rat retinas, decreases were found for VE-cadherin and syndecan-1; whereas in female retinas, decreases were found for PECAM-1, glypican-1, and syndecan-1. In male SHR vs WKY rat choroid, we found an increase in glypican-1, but choroidal syndecan-1 was decreased in SHR in both males and females. Therefore, decreases in SHR of both retinal and choroidal syndecan-1 were found in both males and females. These losses of syndecan-1 were accompanied by an increase in plasma levels of the proteoglycan, indicating possible systemic endothelial shedding. In contrast, plasma levels of glypican-1 decreased. Interestingly, in normotensive WKY rats, retinal levels of all four endothelial surface molecules were higher in females than in males, in some cases, by substantial amounts. In summary, a number of changes occur in endothelial surface molecules in SHR, with some changes being sex-dependent; it is possible that the loss of these molecules contributes to the vascular dysfunction that occurs in hypertensive retina and choroid.

Computer-aided diagnostic system for hypertensive retinopathy: A review.

Hypertensive Retinopathy (HR) is a retinal disease caused by elevated blood pressure for a prolonged period. There are no obvious signs in the early stages of high blood pressure, but it affects various body parts over time, including the eyes. HR is a biomarker for several illnesses, including retinal diseases, atherosclerosis, strokes, kidney disease, and cardiovascular risks. Early microcirculation abnormalities in chronic diseases can be diagnosed through retinal examination prior to the onset of major clinical consequences. Computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) plays a vital role in the early identification of HR with improved diagnostic accuracy, which is time-efficient and demands fewer resources. Recently, numerous studies have been reported on the automatic identification of HR. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the automated tasks of Artery-Vein (A/V) classification, Arteriovenous ratio (AVR) computation, HR detection (Binary classification), and HR severity grading. The review is conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol. The paper discusses the clinical features of HR, the availability of datasets, existing methods used for A/V classification, AVR computation, HR detection, and severity grading, and performance evaluation metrics. The reviewed articles are summarized with classifiers details, adoption of different kinds of methodologies, performance comparisons, datasets details, their pros and cons, and computational platform. For each task, a summary and critical in-depth analysis are provided, as well as common research issues and challenges in the existing studies. Finally, the paper proposes future research directions to overcome challenges associated with data set availability, HR detection, and severity grading.

Retinopatia hipertensiva - relação com o tempo de diagnóstico da hipertensão arterial sistêmica / Hypertensive retinopathy - relation with time of diagnosis of hypertension / Retinopatía hipertensiva - relación con el tiempo de diagnóstico de hipertensión arterial sistémica

Introdução: Hipertensão arterial sistêmica é uma condição em que a pressão do sangue contra as paredes das artérias é muito elevada. O olho, diretamente envolvido no aumento da resistência vascular periférica, é orgão-alvo quando a retinopatia hipertensiva se faz presente. O controle da hipertensão arterial sistêmica desempenha papel fundamental na evolução da retinopatia hipertensiva, considerando o tempo de duração e a idade dos pacientes. Fundoscopia é o exame mais importante para visualizar esses pequenos vasos, sendo possível detectar alterações e classificar a hipertensão arterial sistêmica para uma melhor conduta terapêutica. As alterações vasculares retinianas visualizadas no fundo do olho são classificadas na hipertensão arterial sistêmica em arterioescleróticas e hipertensivas. Objetivo: Identificar os principais fatores relacionados à retinopatia hipertensiva e a relação com o tempo de diagnóstico de hipertensão arterial sistêmica. Método: Estudo transversal, observacional e descritivo. Fundoscopia e Retinografia foram realizados em pacientes do ambulatório de oftalmologia de um hospital-escola no interior paulista, com diagnóstico de hipertensão arterial sistêmica, para avaliar o grau de comprometimento vascular retiniano. Resultados: Foram examinados 236 olhos de 118 pacientes, a maioria do sexo feminino (58,5%), com idade média de 61 anos. Questionados sobre o controle da sua hipertensão arterial sistêmica, as respostas obtidas foram: 48 pacientes (40,7%) souberam responder que sua pressão era controlada com medicação; 60 (50,9%) afirmaram descontrole da pressão sistêmica e 10 (8,4%) não souberam responder. Dos 103 pacientes (88%) que apresentaram alterações na Fundoscopia, 70% apresentaram alterações relacionadas a arteriosclerose e 76 (64%) relacionados à retinopatia hipertensiva. Dos pacientes com arteriosclerose, 74,7% apresentaram alteração no cruzamento arteriovenoso, enquanto os pacientes com retinopatia hipertensiva 51,3% apresentaram vasoconstrição arteriolar espástica. A abordagem terapêutica da HAS é baseada na tentativa de controle dos valores pressóricos e a adesão ao tratamento é um fator fundamental para o manejo de condições e a prevenção de complicações decorrentes delas. Conclusão: Os fatores diagnósticos relacionados à retinopatia hipertensiva foram: o tempo diagnóstico, as alterações vasculares de arterioloesclerose e o descontrole pressórico. As alterações na retinografia servem para auxiliar na gravidade de hipertensão arterial sistêmica bem como alertar e estimular à ter um melhor controle de PA. O envolvimento de toda a equipe de saúde também é necessário para uma visão multidisciplinar do problema, já que a adesão ao tratamento é importante no controle da hipertensão arterial sistêmica

Introduction: Systemic arterial hypertension is a condition in which blood pressure against the walls of the arteries is very high. The eye, directly involved in increasing peripheral vascular resistance, is the target organ when hypertensive retinopathy is present. The control of systemic arterial hypertension plays a fundamental role in the evolution of hypertensive retinopathy, considering the duration and age of the patients. Fundoscopy is the most important exam to visualize these small vessels, making it possible to detect changes and classify systemic arterial hypertension for better therapeutic management. Retinal vascular changes seen in the fundus of the eye are classified in systemic arterial hypertension into arteriosclerotic and hypertensive. Objective: To identify the main factors related to hypertensive retinopathy and the relationship with the time of diagnosis of systemic arterial hypertension. Method: Cross-sectional, observational and descriptive study. Fundoscopy and retinography were performed on patients at the ophthalmology outpatient clinic of a teaching hospital in the interior of São Paulo, diagnosed with systemic arterial hypertension, to assess the degree of retinal vascular compromise. Results: 236 eyes of 118 patients were examined, the majority of them female (58.5%), with a mean age of 61 years. When asked about the control of their systemic arterial hypertension, the answers obtained were: 48 patients (40.7%) were able to answer that their pressure was controlled with medication; 60 (50.9%) stated that they had uncontrolled systemic pressure and 10 (8.4%) were unable to answer. Of the 103 patients (88%) who presented changes on Fundoscopy, 70% presented changes related to arteriosclerosis and 76 (64%) related to hypertensive retinopathy. Of the patients with arteriosclerosis, 74.7% presented changes in arteriovenous crossing, while 51.3% of patients with hypertensive retinopathy presented spastic arteriolar vasoconstriction. The therapeutic approach to SAH is based on trying to control blood pressure values and adherence to treatment is a fundamental factor in managing conditions and preventing complications resulting from them. Conclusion: The diagnostic factors related to hypertensive retinopathy were: time of diagnosis, vascular alterations of arteriolosclerosis and lack of blood pressure control. Changes in retinography serve to help with the severity of systemic arterial hypertension as well as alert and encourage better BP control. The involvement of the entire healthcare team is also necessary for a multidisciplinary view of the problem, as adherence to treatment is important in controlling systemic arterial hypertension

Introducción: La hipertensión arterial sistémica es una condición en la que la presión arterial contra las paredes de las arterias es muy alta. El ojo, directamente implicado en el aumento de la resistencia vascular periférica, es el órgano diana cuando hay retinopatía hipertensiva. El control de la hipertensión arterial sistémica juega un papel fundamental en la evolución de la retinopatía hipertensiva, considerando la duración y edad de los pacientes. La fundoscopia es el examen más importante para visualizar estos pequeños vasos, permitiendo detectar cambios y clasificar la hipertensión arterial sistémica para un mejor manejo terapéutico. Los cambios vasculares retinianos observados en el fondo del ojo se clasifican en la hipertensión arterial sistémica en arteriosclerótica e hipertensiva. Objetivo: Identificar los principales factores relacionados con la retinopatía hipertensiva y la relación con el momento del diagnóstico de la hipertensión arterial sistémica. Método: Estudio transversal, observacional y descriptivo. Se realizaron fundoscopia y retinografía a pacientes del ambulatorio de oftalmología de un hospital universitario del interior de São Paulo, diagnosticados con hipertensión arterial sistémica, para evaluar el grado de compromiso vascular retiniano. Resultados: Se examinaron 236 ojos de 118 pacientes, la mayoría del sexo femenino (58,5%), con una edad media de 61 años. Al preguntarles sobre el control de su hipertensión arterial sistémica, las respuestas obtenidas fueron: 48 pacientes (40,7%) pudieron responder que su presión estaba controlada con medicamentos; 60 (50,9%) afirmaron tener presión sistémica descontrolada y 10 (8,4%) no supieron responder. De los 103 pacientes (88%) que presentaron cambios en la fundoscopia, el 70% presentó cambios relacionados con arteriosclerosis y 76 (64%) relacionados con retinopatía hipertensiva. De los pacientes con arteriosclerosis, el 74,7% presentó cambios en el cruce arteriovenoso, mientras que el 51,3% de los pacientes con retinopatía hipertensiva presentaron vasoconstricción arteriolar espástica. El abordaje terapéutico de la HAS se basa en intentar controlar los valores de presión arterial y la adherencia al tratamiento es un factor fundamental para el manejo de las afecciones y la prevención de complicaciones derivadas de las mismas. Conclusión: Los factores diagnósticos relacionados con la retinopatía hipertensiva fueron: momento del diagnóstico, alteraciones vasculares de la arteriolosclerosis y falta de control de la presión arterial. Los cambios en la retinografía sirven para ayudar con la gravedad de la hipertensión arterial sistémica, así como para alertar y fomentar un mejor control de la PA. También es necesaria la implicación de todo el equipo sanitario para una visión multidisciplinar del problema, ya que la adherencia al tratamiento es importante en el control de la hipertensión arterial sistémica

Mobile-HR: An Ophthalmologic-Based Classification System for Diagnosis of Hypertensive Retinopathy Using Optimized MobileNet Architecture.

Hypertensive retinopathy (HR) is a serious eye disease that causes the retinal arteries to change. This change is mainly due to the fact of high blood pressure. Cotton wool patches, bleeding in the retina, and retinal artery constriction are affected lesions of HR symptoms. An ophthalmologist often makes the diagnosis of eye-related diseases by analyzing fundus images to identify the stages and symptoms of HR. The likelihood of vision loss can significantly decrease the initial detection of HR. In the past, a few computer-aided diagnostics (CADx) systems were developed to automatically detect HR eye-related diseases using machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) techniques. Compared to ML methods, the CADx systems use DL techniques that require the setting of hyperparameters, domain expert knowledge, a huge training dataset, and a high learning rate. Those CADx systems have shown to be good for automating the extraction of complex features, but they cause problems with class imbalance and overfitting. By ignoring the issues of a small dataset of HR, a high level of computational complexity, and the lack of lightweight feature descriptors, state-of-the-art efforts depend on performance enhancement. In this study, a pretrained transfer learning (TL)-based MobileNet architecture is developed by integrating dense blocks to optimize the network for the diagnosis of HR eye-related disease. We developed a lightweight HR-related eye disease diagnosis system, known as Mobile-HR, by integrating a pretrained model and dense blocks. To increase the size of the training and test datasets, we applied a data augmentation technique. The outcomes of the experiments show that the suggested approach was outperformed in many cases. This Mobile-HR system achieved an accuracy of 99% and an F1 score of 0.99 on different datasets. The results were verified by an expert ophthalmologist. These results indicate that the Mobile-HR CADx model produces positive outcomes and outperforms state-of-the-art HR systems in terms of accuracy.

Papilledema and retinopathy lead to diagnosis of IgA nephropathy: a case report.

This case features a young healthy male who was diagnosed with immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy after presenting with blurry vision that was caused by hypertensive retinopathy and papilledema. In this report, we examine the relationship between hypertension and increased intracranial pressure (ICP), along with the ocular signs of IgA nephropathy that may present in the setting of kidney disease.

Immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy is an immune-mediated inflammatory condition that affects the kidneys and is characterized by deposits of IgA antibodies across the body. Nephropathy in general is defined as the deterioration of kidney function. Hypertension is a common complication because of the resultant kidney damage. IgA can also deposit widely across the body, including within the eyes, and may lead to various inflammatory manifestations affecting the front and back of the eyes. We present a case of a 38-year-old male with 2 weeks of worsening vision and headaches. His blood pressure was extremely high (206/116 mmHg) and he was found to have acute kidney injury. Examination of his eye revealed hypertensive retinopathy but also significant swelling of both of his optic discs, concerning for increased intracranial pressure (ICP), which is unusual in a young, otherwise healthy male. The investigation for the cause of increased ICP led to the diagnosis of IgA nephropathy. Treatment of his increased ICP and blood pressure resulted in improvement of his vision. It is important to consider increased ICP as a cause of optic disc swelling in patients with very high blood pressures. Prompt evaluation and management of elevated ICP is important to preserve vision, prevent brain complications and diagnose the underlying disease process. Especially important is the communication and coordination across medical specialties to ensure safe treatment given the multisystem organ involvement. In this article, we also review the eye findings associated with IgA nephropathy, as well as other immune-mediated complications of this rare disease.

Retinal Disease Detection Using Deep Learning Techniques: A Comprehensive Review.

Millions of people are affected by retinal abnormalities worldwide. Early detection and treatment of these abnormalities could arrest further progression, saving multitudes from avoidable blindness. Manual disease detection is time-consuming, tedious and lacks repeatability. There have been efforts to automate ocular disease detection, riding on the successes of the application of Deep Convolutional Neural Networks (DCNNs) and vision transformers (ViTs) for Computer-Aided Diagnosis (CAD). These models have performed well, however, there remain challenges owing to the complex nature of retinal lesions. This work reviews the most common retinal pathologies, provides an overview of prevalent imaging modalities and presents a critical evaluation of current deep-learning research for the detection and grading of glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, Age-Related Macular Degeneration and multiple retinal diseases. The work concluded that CAD, through deep learning, will increasingly be vital as an assistive technology. As future work, there is a need to explore the potential impact of using ensemble CNN architectures in multiclass, multilabel tasks. Efforts should also be expended on the improvement of model explainability to win the trust of clinicians and patients.

Risk of retinopathy in women with pregnancy-induced hypertension: a nationwide population-based cohort study of 9-year follow-up after delivery.

BACKGROUND: The retina is potentially associated with several physiological, hormonal, and metabolic changes during pregnancy. The few available epidemiologic studies of ocular changes in pregnancy have mainly concerned retinopathies. Pregnancy-induced hypertension, which leads to ocular manifestations including blurred vision, photopsia, scotoma, and diplopia, might induce reactive changes in the retinal vessels. Although several studies have suggested the existence of pregnancy-induced hypertension-related retinal ocular disease, there are few large cohort studies on this topic. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the risk of major retinal diseases including central serous chorioretinopathy, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, retinal artery occlusion, and hypertensive retinopathy in the long-term postpartum stage according to the presence of previous pregnancy-induced hypertension in a large cohort based on the Korean National Health Insurance Database. STUDY DESIGN: On the basis of Korean health data, 909,520 patients who delivered from 2012 to 2013 were analyzed. Among them, patients who had previous ocular diseases or hypertension and multiple births were excluded. Finally, 858,057 mothers were assessed for central serous chorioretinopathy (ICD-10: H35.70), diabetic retinopathy (ICD-10: H36.0, E10.31, E10.32, E11.31, E11.32, E12.31, E13.31, E13.32, E14.31, E14.32), retinal vein occlusion (ICD-10: H34.8), retinal artery occlusion (ICD-10: H34.2), and hypertensive retinopathy (ICD-10: H35.02) for 9 years after delivery. Enrolled patients were divided into 2 groups: 10,808 patients with and 847,249 without pregnancy-induced hypertension. The primary outcomes were the incidence of central serous chorioretinopathy, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, retinal artery occlusion, and hypertensive retinopathy 9 years after delivery. Clinical variables were age, parity, cesarean delivery, gestational diabetes mellitus, and postpartum hemorrhage. In addition, pregestational diabetes mellitus, kidney diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, and cardiovascular diseases were adjusted. RESULTS: Postpartum retinal disease during the 9 years after delivery and total retinal diseases showed higher rates in patients with pregnancy-induced hypertension. In detail, the rates of central serous chorioretinopathy (0.3% vs 0.1%), diabetic retinopathy (1.79% vs 0.5%), retinal vein occlusion (0.19% vs 0.1%), and hypertensive retinopathy (0.62% vs 0.05%) were higher than those found in patients without pregnancy-induced hypertension. After adjusting for confounding factors, pregnancy-induced hypertension was associated with development of postpartum retinopathy, with a >2-fold increase (hazard ratio, 2.845; 95% confidence interval, 2.54-3.188). Furthermore, pregnancy-induced hypertension affected the development of central serous chorioretinopathy (hazard ratio, 3.681; 95% confidence interval, 2.667-5.082), diabetic retinopathy (hazard ratio, 2.326; 95% confidence interval, 2.013-2.688), retinal vein occlusion (hazard ratio, 2.241; 95% confidence interval, 1.491-3.368), and hypertensive retinopathy (hazard ratio, 11.392; 95% confidence interval, 8.771-14.796) after delivery. CONCLUSION: A history of pregnancy-induced hypertension increases the risk of central serous chorioretinopathy, diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, and hypertensive retinopathy according to 9-year long-term ophthalmologic follow-up.

Effect of blood pressure variability on hypertensive retinopathy.

PURPOSE: This study intends to investigate the correlation between blood pressure variability (BPV) levels and the use of optical coherence tomography (OCT) and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) to measure retinal microvasculature in hypertensive patients. METHODS: All individuals in the study had 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and bilateral OCT and OCTA exams, and only data from the right eye were analyzed statistically. RESULTS: The study included 170 individuals, with 60 in the control group. The experimental group was separated into two groups based on the average real variability (ARV) median, with 55 in the low ARV group and 55 in the high ARV group. The mean thicknesses of the Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer (RNFL), internal limiting membrane-retinal pigment epithelial cell layer (ILM-RPE), vessel density (VD), and perfusion density (PD) in the high-ARV group were substantially lower in the low-ARV and control groups (p＜0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that disease duration, age, and 24 h diastolic standard deviation all affected RNFL mean thickness (p＜0.05). VD and PD were influenced by disease duration, systolic-ARV, daytime systolic blood pressure, intraocular pressure(IOP), and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) (p＜0.05). And the change in VD was connected to best-corrected visual acuity. CONCLUSION: Hypertensive retinopathy is related to BPV. In clinical practice, we can assess the degree of BPV and retinopathy in hypertensive patients to track the progression of hypertension-mediated organ damage (HMOD). Correction of BPV may help treat or postpone the progression of HOMD.

Research progress on diagnosing retinal vascular diseases based on artificial intelligence and fundus images.

As the only blood vessels that can directly be seen in the whole body, pathological changes in retinal vessels are related to the metabolic state of the whole body and many systems, which seriously affect the vision and quality of life of patients. Timely diagnosis and treatment are key to improving vision prognosis. In recent years, with the rapid development of artificial intelligence, the application of artificial intelligence in ophthalmology has become increasingly extensive and in-depth, especially in the field of retinal vascular diseases. Research study results based on artificial intelligence and fundus images are remarkable and provides a great possibility for early diagnosis and treatment. This paper reviews the recent research progress on artificial intelligence in retinal vascular diseases (including diabetic retinopathy, hypertensive retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, retinopathy of prematurity, and age-related macular degeneration). The limitations and challenges of the research process are also discussed.

Alteraciones retinianas detectadas por screening con cámara retinal no midriática y derivación a oftalmología en una población de alto riesgo cardiovascular / Retinal alterations detected by non-mydriatic retinal camera screening and referral to ophthalmology in a population with high cardiovascular risk

Objetivo Describir las principales alteraciones retinianas detectadas por screening con cámara retinal no midriática y evaluar los factores relacionados con la derivación a oftalmología en una población de alto riesgo cardiovascular en Palmira, Colombia. Materiales y métodos Estudio observacional de tipo transversal, con 11.983 registros fotográficos de pacientes con hipertensión y diabetes mellitus del programa de enfermedades crónicas de Gesencro S.A.S. entre 2018 y 2020. Se evaluaron con regresión logística los factores de riesgo relacionados con la derivación a oftalmología y se obtuvieron los odds ratios (OR) crudos y ajustados. Resultados Se analizaron 11.880 registros; la edad media fue de 67,7±12años, y el 69,5% fueron mujeres. Entre las alteraciones retinianas se encontraron pacientes con retinopatía diabética clasificada como más que leve (10%) y gradoI de retinopatía hipertensiva (54,9% ojo derecho, 51,9% ojo izquierdo). También se identificó edema macular (15%). Solo 2.069 (17,4%) pacientes requirieron derivación a oftalmología; el 81,3% requirieron control a 1año y el 1,3% a los 6meses. En el análisis multivariado los factores de riesgo que se relacionaron con la probabilidad para ser derivados fueron: el género masculino, la edad mayor o igual a 60años, la hemoglobina glucosilada (HbA1c) fuera de metas, la enfermedad renal crónica avanzada y la razón microalbúmina-creatinina moderada a severamente elevada. Conclusión Este estudio permitió determinar la importancia que tiene el screening con cámara retinal no midriática en pacientes de alto riesgo cardiovascular para detectar alteraciones retinianas y evaluar factores de riesgo asociados con derivación a oftalmología. El documentar tempranamente el compromiso ocular en estos pacientes podría prevenir y evitar la discapacidad visual y la ceguera (AU)

Objective To describe the main retinal alterations detected by non-mydriatic retinal camera screening and to evaluate factors related to referral to ophthalmology in a population at high cardiovascular risk in Palmira, Colombia. Materials and methods Cross-sectional observational study, which included 11,983 photographic imaging records of patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus from Gesencro's S.A.S. comprehensive chronic disease care program between 2018 and 2020. Risk factors associated to referral to ophthalmology were evaluated with logistic regression, and crude and adjusted ORs (odds ratios) were obtained. Results A total of 11,880 records were analyzed; 67.7±12years old, and 69.5% were women. Among the retinal alterations were patients with diabetic retinopathy classified as more than mild in 10% and gradeI hypertensive retinopathy in 54.9% right eye, 51.9% left eye. Macular edema was also identified. Only 2069 patients (17.4%) required referral to ophthalmology, and for imaging control 82.6%. In the multivariate analysis, the risk factors associated with the probability of being referred were male gender, age 60years and older, glycosylated hemoglobin out-of-target, advanced chronic kidney disease and the microalbumin-to-creatinine ratio moderate to severely elevated. Conclusion This study makes it possible to determine the importance of screening with a non-mydriatic retinal camera in patients at high cardiovascular risk to detect retinal abnormalities and assess risk factors associated with referral to ophthalmology. Early documentation of ocular compromise in these patients could prevent and avoid visual impairment and blindness (AU)

A Rare Case of Blindness Caused by Syphilis with Malignant Hypertensive Nephropathy.

The number of patients with syphilis has been rapidly increasing. Without treatment, syphilis can damage various organs and become life-threatening. We herein report a 29-year-old woman diagnosed with neurosyphilis, acute hydrocephalus, syphilitic uveitis combined with hypertensive retinopathy, and malignant hypertensive nephropathy. To our knowledge, this is the first report of syphilis complicated with malignant hypertensive nephropathy proven by a renal biopsy. Neurosyphilis was successfully treated with intravenous penicillin G, and severe hypertension subsequently resolved. However, delayed medical examinations and complications of syphilitic uveitis and hypertensive retinopathy resulted in irreversible visual loss. To prevent irreversible organ damage, early treatment is essential.

Correlation between hypertensive retinopathy and fetal outcomes in patients with preeclampsia in a tertiary care hospital: A prospective cohort study.

Purpose: To study the effect of increasing grades of hypertensive retinopathy (HTR) on neonatal outcomes among preeclamptic women and assess the various maternal risk factors for HTR. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted on 258 preeclamptic women. The systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), liver, and renal function parameters were collected besides basic demographic details. Dilated fundus examination with the Keith-Wagner-Barker classification was used to grade HTR. Following delivery, neonatal outcomes were evaluated. Results: Of the 258 preeclamptic women recruited, 53.1% had preeclampsia (PE), and 46.9% had severe preeclampsia. With increasing grades of HTR, a significant association with low birth weight (LBW) (p = 0.012) and preterm gestational age (p = 0.002) was noted but not with the Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity and Respiration (APGAR) score (p = 0.062). Also, it did not increase the risk of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), with most babies, even those born to mothers with high grades of HTR, showing no evidence of ROP (p = 0.025). Among the maternal factors, increasing age (p = 0.016), SBP (p < 0.001), DBP (p < 0.001), serum creatinine (p = 0.035), alanine aminotransferase (p = 0.008), lower hemoglobin (Hb) (p = 0.009), lower platelet (p < 0.001), and severe PE (p < 0.001) have been found to significantly affect the grade of HTR. Conclusion: Higher grades of HTR in the preeclamptic mother are associated with preterm delivery and LBW of the neonates but neither affect the APGAR score nor pose the risk of developing ROP.

Risk Stratification on Systemic Target Organ Involvement Associated with Hypertensive Retinopathy.

BACKGROUND: Hypertensive retinopathy is a common complication among people with hypertension. The current study assessed the risk stratification on systemic target organ involvement of people with hypertensive retinopathy. METHODS: In a hospital- based cross-sectional study conducted at a tertiary referral eye institute in Nepal, we included consecutive people ≥ 31 years with essential hypertension. Details of histories and systemic target organ involvements were documented. People with un-gradable retinal findings of hypertensive retinopathy and prior retinal surgery were excluded. All participants underwent comprehensive eye examination, including dilated fundus examination. Hypertensive retinopathy was classified by Modified Scheie classification. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify the risks for hypertensive retinopathy and target organ involvement. RESULTS: The study recruited 312 subjects. The mean age was 63.68 ± 12.63 years. The mean duration of hypertension was 7.0 ± 6.5 years. Hypertensive retinopathy was detected in 83.7% (n=261) people and 63.5% (n= 198) had grade 1 hypertensive retinopathy. Target organ involvement was detected in 20.5% (n =64) people. These included cardiac (12.5%; n=39), central nervous (5.1%; n= 16), and renal (4.5%; n=14) systems. In multivariate analysis, concurrent hyperlipidaemia was significantly associated with hypertensive retinopathy and target organ involvement. Target organ involvement increased with the severity of hypertensive retinopathy. CONCLUSIONS: Over four-fifths of people with hypertension had hypertensive retinopathy and one-fifth had other systemic target organ involvements. Severity of hypertensive retinopathy and concurrent hyperlipidaemia were associated with target organ involvement. Hypertensive retinopathy can be considered for risk stratification to other target organ involvement in a clinical setting.