The Relation between Serum Level of Vitamin D and Dry Eye Disease

Purpose: To investigate the relation between serum level of vitamin D and dry eye disease. Patients and Methods:  In this cross-sectional case-control study, 40 patients with dry eye disease were enrolled.  Dry eye was diagnosed based on the slit lamp examination, tear meniscus height, tear break up time test, ocular surface disease index, and the results of Schirmer test. Forty age- and sex-matched healthy individuals served as controls. The serum level of vitamin D was measured and compared between patients with dry eye disease and controls. Results:  The mean age was 44.92  ± 11.4 and 44.07  ± 11.29 years in the case and control groups, respectively (P = 0.739). The mean serum level of vitamin D was 21.18  ± 11.83 ng/dl in the case group and 20.54 ± 9.98 ng/dl in the control group (P = 0.793). Ocular surface disease index had a positive correlation with age (r = + 0.363, P < 0.0001), but a negative correlation with the serum level of vitamin D (r = - 0.480, P = 0.002). Other investigated variables failed to demonstrate association with the serum level of vitamin D and dry eye. Conclusion: According to the present study results, no significant association between vitamin D deficiency and dry eye was detected. However, due to relatively small sample size in the present study further studies are recommended to better investigate this subject.Key words: Dry eye; Vitamin D; Schirmer test; Tear

The effect on intraocular pressure of Latanoprost with once every other day dosing in glaucoma patients

AIM: To evaluate the effect on intraocular pressure(IOP)of Latanoprost 0.005%(Lataprost, Sina Darou, Iran)applied every other day. METHODS: Patients with well controlled open angle glaucoma were enrolled in the study. All patients had been given Latanoprost for at least 2 months with once daily dose at bed time at the first phase of the study. After recovery of 3 normal consecutive IOPs, the dosage was altered to once every other day at bed-time and they were closely monitored at week 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 within second phase of the study and IOPs were measured. As soon as an abnormally elevated IOP was encountered, patient was excluded from the study and the prior regimen was reestablished. RESULTS:This study included 53 eyes of 53 patients(29 male, 24 female; age range 52-82 years)with open angle glaucoma. Twenty-seven patients suffered from primary open angle glaucoma and 26 patients had pseudoexfoliative glaucoma. After beginning the second phase of the study, a mild trend of increasing IOP was recordable. A corresponding trend was even detected in female and male patients separately. The P values at week 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 were 0.003, 0.001, 0.000, 0.000, 0.000 and 0.000 respectively. In the first 2 weeks after initiation of the 2nd phase, 66% of cases have no change in IOPs, but thereafter, 69.8%, experienced increasing IOPs. CONCLUSION: The present study shows the superiority of the conventional dosage of Latanoprost 0.005% in comparison with once every other day dose but at least in first few weeks, the IOPs are reasonably close to each other. Further studies with higher number of cases would widen the present findings

Pentraxin 3 serum levels in wet-type age-related macular degeneration

Introduction: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has become a catastrophic health problem throughout the world because of the aging population. Destruction of the macular architecture in the wet type form is a major problem that results from AMD and is irreversible. Working on preventive measures is, therefore, of critical importance. Because pentraxins (PTX) become elevated in the body in stressful, oxidized conditions, this study examines the role they play in AMD. The similarity between the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis and AMD and the role of PTX3 in atheromas were also factors that support conducting this study. Methods: This case-control study used 40 eyes that were at different stages of wet type AMD. The eyes were from patients who were over the age of 50 and had not had intraocular surgery or choroidal neovascularization (CNV) due to non-AMD causes. The control group included 49 eyes with normal macula. These study groups were matched according to age and gender, and the serum levels of PTX3 were analyzed. Results: The mean ages of the patients were 70.7 ± 9.0 and 69.6 ± 7.4 years among the case group and the control group, respectively (P = 0.540) while the male to female ratios were 2.64 and 1.19, respectively (P = 0.091). The PTX3 (P = 0.002), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (P = 0.008) and triglyceride (TGs) (P = 0.032) were significantly higher among the wet type AMD cases. Conclusion: PTX3 appears to be a component in the pathogenesis of AMD and, therefore, could be a target for possible pharmaceutical interventions to stop or reduce the progression of this ominous disease

The effects of platelet gel on cultured human retinal pigment epithelial (hRPE) cells

The positive role of platelet gel (PG) in tissue regeneration is well known, however, other characteristics of PG still remain to be determined. We investigated cellular and molecular changes in cultured human retinal pigment epithelial (hRPE) cells when treated with different concentrations of PG named PG1, PG2, and PG3. hRPE cells were isolated from donor eyes of two newborn children, within 24 hours after their death. The cells were treated with three concentrations of PG for 7 days: 3 × 104/ml (PG1), 6 × 104/ml (PG2), and 9 × 104/ml (PG3). Fetal bovine serum was used as a control. Immunocytochemistry was performed with anti-RPE65 (H-85), anti-Cytokeratin 8/18 (NCL-5D3), and anti-PAX6 antibody. We used MTT assay to determine cell viability. Gene expressions of PAX6, MMP2, RPE65, ACTA2, MKI67, MMP9, and KDR were analyzed using real-time PCR. A significant increase in viability was observed for PG3-treated cells compared to control (p = 0.044) and compared to PG1 group (p = 0.027), on day 7. Cellular elongation together with dendritiform extensions were observed in PG-treated cells on days 1 and 3, while epithelioid morphology was observed on day 7. All cells were immunoreactive for RPE65, cytokeratin 8/18, and PAX6. No significant change was observed in the expression of MKI67 and PAX6, but the expressions of MMP2, MMP9, ACTA2, and KDR were significantly higher in PG2-treated cells compared to controls (p < 0.05). Our results indicate that increased concentration of PG and extended exposure time have positive effects on viability of hRPE cells. PG may be useful for hRPE cell encapsulation in retinal cell replacement therapy