Serum amyloid-A in Behçet's disease.

Serum amyloid-A (SAA) is an acute phase protein, synthesized by the liver and previously investigated as a marker of disease activity in many rheumatologic disorders. Its significance in Behçet's disease (BD), a chronic inflammatory disorder at the crossroad between autoimmune and autoinflammatory syndromes, is still unraveled. Our aim was to assess the role of SAA levels as a potential marker of disease activity in patients with BD. According to our findings, the occurrence of oral aphthosis, neurological impairment, and ocular disease is significantly associated with SAA serum levels higher than 30, 50, and 150 mg/L, respectively. We also suggest that increased SAA levels might identify a thrombotic risk in BD with previous or concurrent vascular involvement.

Riboflavin-UVA-induced corneal collagen cross-linking in pediatric patients.

PURPOSE: Evaluation of stability and functional response after riboflavin-UVA­induced cross-linking in a population of patients younger than 18 years with progressive keratoconus after 36 months of follow-up. METHODS: Prospective nonrandomized phase II open trial conducted at the Department of Ophthalmology, Siena University, Italy. The "Siena CXL Pediatrics" trial involved 152 patients aged 18 years or younger (10­18 years) with clinical and instrumental evidence of keratoconus progression. The population was divided into 2 groups according to corneal thickness (>450 and <450 µm) at the time of enrollment. The riboflavin-UVA­induced corneal cross-linking was performed in all patients according to the standard epi-off protocol. Parameters recorded preoperatively and postoperatively were as follows: uncorrected visual acuity, best spectacle­corrected visual acuity, corneal topography and surface aberrometry (CSO Eye Top topographer; Florence, Italy), optical pachometry (Visante OCT; Zeiss Meditec, Jena, Germany), and HRT II confocal microscopy (Rostock Cornea Module, Heidelberg, Germany). RESULTS: Functional data at 36 months showed an increase of +0.18 and +0.16 Snellen lines for uncorrected visual acuity and best spectacle-corrected visual acuity, respectively, in the thicker group (corneal thickness >450 µm) and +0.14 and +0.15 Snellen lines, respectively, in the thinner group (corneal thickness <450 µm). Patients in the latter group already showed a better and faster functional recovery than the thicker group at 3-month follow-up. Topographic results showed statistically significant improvement in K readings and asymmetry index values. Coma reduction was also statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The study demonstrated significant and rapid functional improvement in pediatric patients younger than 18 years with progressive keratoconus, undergoing riboflavin-UVA­induced cross-linking. In pediatric age, a good functional response and keratoconus stability was obtained after corneal cross-linking in a 36-month follow-up.

Morphological and functional correlations in riboflavin UV A corneal collagen cross-linking for keratoconus.

PURPOSE: To investigate the correlations between corneal structural modifications assessed by in vivo corneal confocal microscopy with visual function [uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA)] and morphological data (corneal topography, pachymetry, elevation analysis) after riboflavin UV A corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL) for the stabilization of progressive keratoconus. METHODS: Forty-four eyes with progressive keratoconus were enrolled in the Siena Eye Cross Study (prospective nonrandomized phase II open trial). All eyes underwent Riboflavin UV A CXL. Preoperative and postoperative evaluation comprised: UCVA, BSCVA, optical pachymetry (Visante OCT, Zeiss, Germany), corneal topography (CSO, Florence, Italy) and tomography (Orbscan IIz; B&L, Rochester, NY, USA) and in vivo confocal microscopy (Heidelberg Retina Tomograph II; Rostock, Heidelberg Gmbh, Germany). Examinations were performed preoperatively 6 months and one day before treatment and at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months of follow-up. RESULTS: In vivo corneal confocal microscopy showed time-dependent postoperative epithelial and stromal modifications after cross-linking. Epithelial thinning associated with stromal oedema and keratocytes apoptosis explained initial tendency towards slightly reduced VA and more glare one month postoperatively in 70% of eyes. Furthermore, a statistically not significant early worsening of topographic mean K values was observed. Orbscan II analysis significantly underestimated pachymetric values after treatment. Pachymetric underestimation was rectified by high-resolution optical pachymetry provided by the Visante OCT system. After the third post-CXL month, epithelial thickening, disappearance of oedema and new collagen compaction recorded by in vivo corneal confocal microscopy explained the improvements in visual performance during the follow-up. Changes in stromal reflectivity and collagen compaction observed by in vivo confocal microscopy were associated with corneal flattening and reduction in anterior elevation values recorded by differential topographic analysis. CONCLUSION: Corneal structural changes assessed by in vivo corneal confocal microscopy demonstrated significant correlations with visual function (UCVA and BSCVA) and morphological (corneal topography, pachymetry, elevation analysis) findings recorded after riboflavin-UV A-induced CXL.

Corneal collagen cross-linking to stop corneal ectasia exacerbated by radial keratotomy.

PURPOSE: To assess the efficacy of riboflavin ultraviolet A (UV-A) corneal collagen cross-linking in the management of keratoconic corneal ectasia exacerbated by radial keratotomy (RK). METHODS: A patient with progressive corneal ectasia and hyperopic shift, occurring 10 years after RK performed in the left eye, was treated with riboflavin UV-A corneal collagen cross-linking according to the Siena protocol: Pilocarpin 0.1% drop (1 hour before), lidocaine 4% drops 15 minutes before, mechanical scraping of epithelium (9-mm-diameter area), preirradiation stromal soaking for 10 minutes in riboflavin 0.1%-dextrane 20% (Ricrolin; Sooft Italy) applied every 2 minutes, and 30 minutes of total exposure (6 steps of 5 minutes) to solid-state UV-A illuminator (Caporossi, Baiocchi, Mazzotta Vega X linker; CSO Opthalmics, Florence, Italy), energy delivered 3 mW/cm, and irradiated area 9 mm in diameter. RESULTS: After the operation, uncorrected visual acuity and best spectacle-corrected visual acuity improved from 0.2 to 0.6 and from 0.3 to 0.8 Snellen lines, respectively, in a 12-month follow-up. Improved topographical K readings and corneal symmetry index were also recorded starting from the first postoperative month and continuing thereafter. No adverse effects were recorded after treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Riboflavin UV-A-induced corneal cross-linking seems to be a promising surgical option in the management of unstable corneal ectasia exacerbated by RK, particularly in eyes with preexisting keratoconus. A large cohort and longer follow-up are needed to determine its long-term efficacy in this clinical setting.

Age-Related Long-Term Functional Results after Riboflavin UV A Corneal Cross-Linking.

Purpose. To report a comparative prospective long-term functional analysis after Riboflavin UV A corneal cross-linking (CXL) in three different age groups of patients affected by progressive keratoconus (KC). Methods. Functional analysis comprised paediatric patients (≤18 years) included 152 eyes (29.5%); intermediate group (19-26 years) 286 eyes (55.4%), and adults (≥27 years) 78 eyes (15.1%). CXL was performed according to the Siena protocol by using the Vega CBM (Caporossi-Baiocchi-Mazzotta) X linker (CSO, Florence, Italy) at Siena University by the same authors. Pre- and post-op examinations included UCVA, BSCVA, corneal topography, and surface aberrometry (CSO Eye Top, Florence, Italy), at 48 months followup. Results. At 48 months followup paediatrics, intermediate, and adult patients showed a mean gain in UCVA of +0.2, +0.14 and +0.12 Snellen lines. BSCVA gained by a mean of +0.21, +0.2, and +0.1 Snellen lines. K(max) was reduced by a mean value of -0.9 D, -0.6 D, and -0.5 D, respectively. Coma values improved by a mean of -0.45 µm, -0.91 µm, and -0.19 µm, respectively. Treatment ensured a long-term keratoconus stabilization in over 90% of treated patients. Conclusion. According to our long-term comparative results, epithelium-off Riboflavin UV A cross-linking should be the first choice therapy of progressive KC, particularly in paediatric age and patients under 26 years.