Association Between Dry Eye and Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: Subclinical Inflammation May Be Part of the Process.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the changes in tear function in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and establish whether there is a correlation between hormonal levels, novel hematologic biomarkers, and dry eye parameters. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Forty-seven patients with PCOS and 43 age-matched patients with unexplained infertility were included in the control group. Follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, estradiol, thyroid-stimulating hormone, prolactin, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), 17-OH progesterone, fasting and postprandial glucose, fasting insulin, and cholesterol metabolites were evaluated in both groups. In addition, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio were obtained from a complete blood count. The Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire was administered, and all patients underwent tear break-up time (BUT) and Schirmer I tests. Bivariate correlations were investigated using Spearman correlation coefficient analysis. RESULTS: The mean age of the PCOS group and the control group was 27.66±3.96 years and 29.28±6.83 years, respectively. Schirmer I test scores and BUT values were significantly lower and OSDI results were significantly higher in the PCOS group (P=0.003, P<0.001, and P=0.004). An inverse correlation was found between DHEA-S and BUT values in the PCOS group (r=-0.296, P=0.043). Similarly, a negative correlation was also present between NLR and BUT values in the PCOS group (r=-0.322, P=0.027). CONCLUSIONS: Dry eye can be well established by sensitive tests in patients with PCOS. The severity of dry eye may be correlated with the level of inflammation and hyperandrogenism.

A novel side effect of mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor cobimetinib: Acute corneal decompensation.

A 38-year-old man with a diagnosis of BRAF-mutated metastatic melanoma was referred to our clinic. He had been under treatment with 60-mg oral cobimetinib daily for 21 days/7 day off in combination with 960 mg vemurafenib twice daily. The patient had symptoms of blurred vision and photophobia in his right eye. A slit-lamp examination revealed bilateral central corneal stromal opacity and epithelial microcystic edema Involvement was more severe in the right eye compared with the left eye. Fourteen days after the first visit, the patient's symptoms and slit-lamp findings were largely resolved. We suggest that endothelium pump failure was involved in this acute corneal decompensation case similar to the mechanism in retinal pigment epithelium.

Association of Lysyl Oxidase-Like 1 Gene Polymorphism in Turkish Patients With Pseudoexfoliation Syndrome and Pseudoexfoliation Glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To investigate the genetic association of lysyl oxidase-like 1 (LOXL1) gene polymorphisms in patients with pseudoexfoliation (PEX) syndrome and PEX glaucoma of Turkish descent. METHODS: Three LOXL1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs1048661, rs3825942, and rs2165241) were analyzed in 109 Turkish patients (44 patients with PEX syndrome, 65 patients with PEX glaucoma) and 47 healthy subjects. RESULTS: "A" allele of SNP rs3825942 was underrepresented in control group compared with the glaucoma [odds ratio (OR)=4.5, confidence interval (CI): 95%] and syndrome (OR=4.5, CI: 95%) groups. "AA+AG" genotype of SNP rs3825942 was more frequent in the syndrome group (OR=10, CI: 95%) rather than the control group. "GT" genotype of SNP rs1048661 was presented less frequently in the control group compared with the glaucoma group (OR=4.25, CI: 95%). "T" allele of SNP rs1048661 was more frequent in glaucoma group (OR=2.05, CI: 95%) compared with control group. "T" allele of SNP rs2165241 was more frequent in the syndrome (OR=2.59, CI: 95%) and the glaucoma group (OR=3.78, CI: 95%) compared with the control group. "TT" genotype of SNP rs2165241 was underrepresented in control group compared with the syndrome (OR=3.85, CI: 95%) and the glaucoma (OR=6.58, CI: 95%) group. CONCLUSIONS: Findings of this current study indicate a different LOXL1 gene expression pattern compared with a recent study that was also performed in the Turkish population. Other gene replication studies are required to accurately assess genetic factors in the pathogenesis of PEX syndrome and glaucoma.