Long-term follow-up of chronic central serous chorioretinopathy after successful treatment with photodynamic therapy or micropulse laser

Purpose To describe the treatment outcomes and recurrence risk of chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (cCSC) in patients who had complete resolution of subretinal fluid (SRF) after either primary half-dose photodynamic therapy (PDT) or high-density subthreshold micropulse laser (HSML) in the PLACE trial.Methods This multicentre prospective follow-up study evaluated cCSC patients at 1 year after completion of the PLACE trial. Outcomes included: complete resolution of SRF on OCT, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letters, retinal sensitivity on microperimetry and a visual function questionnaire (NEI-VFQ25).Results Twenty-nine out of 37 patients who received half-dose PDT and 15 out of 17 patients who received HSML could be evaluated at final visit. At final visit, 93% of the patients treated with half-dose PDT had complete resolution of SRF, compared with 53% of HSML-treated patients (p = 0.006). At final visit, the mean estimate increase in the PDT group compared with the HSML group was + 2.1 ETDRS letters, +0.15 dB for the retinal sensitivity and + 5.1 NEI-VFQ25 points (p = 0.103, p = 0.784 and p = 0.071, respectively). The mean estimated central retinal thickness in the half-dose PDT group was -7.0 mu m compared with the HSML group (p = 0.566). The mean estimated subfoveal choroidal thickness in the half-dose PDT group was -16.6 mu m compared with the HSML group (p = 0.359).Conclusion At 20 months after treatment, cCSC patients successfully treated with half-dose PDT are less likely to have recurrences of SRF compared with those successfully treated with HSML. However, functional outcomes did not differ.Development and application of statistical models for medical scientific researc

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients undergoing Reanimating Surgery for Unilateral Facial Paralysis : Functional localizer study and pilot data

Introduction: Facial palsy refers to a condition in which the function of the facial nerve or the mimic musculature is partially or completely injured and this may result in enormous functional, psychological, and cosmetic problems for the patient. An often reported complaint is asymmetrical facial expression and lack of ability to smile. Nowadays it is possible to help these patients with reanimating facial surgery and provide them with more symmetry, a new smile and eye closure. For smile reconstruction, one can transplant a muscle into the affected side and connect it to a local nerve. There are two main ways for innervations. The first uses the facial nerve from the healthy face side which is extended with a nerve graft to the affected side. The other way is to use a branch of the trigeminal nerve. The latter group of patients will have to be trained to produces a smile while making a clenching movement because the nerve used is not normally involved in smiling. However for both procedures patients report spontaneously smiling after recovery. The question arises if there is evidence for cortical brain plasticity and which cortical regions are responsible for the spontaneous smiling. This report focused on a functional localizer study and pilot data obtained to get closer to solving this issue. Material and methods: Five healthy volunteers (three males, two females) have been scanned for the localizer study. Their primary motor cortex activity was assessed during a smiling, clenching and tapping task with functional magnetic resonance imaging. The same paradigm was used on 3 female patients suffering from a unilateral left sided facial palsy. Each patient was in a different stage of disease (one pre-operatively, two post-operatively). One of the post-operatively patients underwent a cross facial nerve graft procedure and the other had a lengthening temporalis myoplasty. We performed conjunctional analyses on all functional data. Also we compared the blood oxygenation level dependant (BOLD) signals of the patients with the subjects of the localizer group. Results: In the healthy subjects for the localizer study we found bilateral activation in the motor cortex. We were able to identify 3 significant (p<0.05 Bonferroni corrected) separate brain areas dedicated to the three tasks described above. However the smiling and clenching areas were closely related. In the pre-operatively patient we saw no significant activation on the right hemisphere while smiling. The patient with the CFNG showed significant activation while smiling but had a significant (p<0.001) different time course on the right hemisphere compared to the subjects of the localizer. The third patient showed no significant activations in the primary motor cortex during all tasks. Conclusion: The results of this report may bring us a step closer in finding the answer to whether brain plasticity occurs after reanimating facial surgery or not. The localizer we designed was sensitive and isolated distinctive, although closely spatially related, brain areas dedicated to smiling and clenching. Also the pilot data collected show promising results. Nevertheless we have to bear in mind that this data were collected on a small sample size and single scans per subject. Overall further research using a pre- and post operative comparison within patients will be necessary to reveal critical information about brain plasticity after reanimating facial surgery.

Chronic central serous chorioretinopathy: studies on the clinical and genetic characteristics

Contains fulltext : 162522.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)Radboud University, 27 januari 2017Promotores : Hoyng, C.B., Keunen, J.E.E. Co-promotores : Boon, C.J.F., Hollander, A.I. de

Genomic Copy Number Variations of the Complement Component C4B Gene Are Associated With Chronic Central Serous Chorioretinopathy

Contains fulltext : 155364.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)PURPOSE: Chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (cCSC) has recently been associated to variants in the complement factor H gene. To further investigate the role of the complement system in cCSC, the genomic copy number variations in the complement component 4 gene (C4) were studied. METHODS: C4A and C4B copy numbers were analyzed in 197 cCSC patients and 303 healthy controls by using a Taqman copy number determination assay. Copy numbers of C4A, C4B, and the total C4 load were compared between cases and controls, by using a Fisher exact test. For this analysis Bonferroni correction was performed for three tests, and P values < 0.017 were considered to be significant. A logistic regression model was constructed to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) of each of the C4B copy numbers, using two copies as a reference. For this model P values < 0.05 were considered to be significant. RESULTS: C4B genomic copy numbers differed significantly between cCSC patients and healthy controls (P = 0.0018). Absence of C4B significantly conferred risk of cCSC (P = 0.039, OR = 2.61 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.05-6.52]), whereas three copies of C4B significantly decreased the risk of cCSC (P = 0.014, OR = 0.45 [95% CI = 0.23-0.85]). The C4A genomic copy numbers and total C4 load did not significantly differ between cases and controls. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that copy numbers of C4B are significantly associated with cCSC. Carrying no copies of C4B significantly increases the risk of cCSC, whereas carrying three C4B copies is protective. These findings reinforce the hypothesis of a possible involvement of the complement system in the pathogenesis of cCSC

Recurrence of paraproteinemic crystalline keratopathy after corneal transplantation: A case of monoclonal gammopathy of ocular significance

Contains fulltext : 225778.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)PURPOSE: To report the long-term follow-up (12 years) of a 36-year-old male patient with crystalline keratopathy of both eyes, diagnosed with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). Complete ophthalmic, systemic, and corneal immunohistochemical evaluations were performed. OBSERVATIONS: Slit-lamp examination revealed bilateral fine iridescent confluent crystalline deposits in all layers of the cornea, both peripherally and centrally. Systemic evaluation revealed abnormal M protein, IgG-kappa type, in blood and urine. Bone marrow aspiration showed a monoclonal plasma cell concentration of 2%. Consequently, the patient was diagnosed with MGUS. Because of progressive bilateral visual loss in the following 10 years, a perforating keratoplasty was performed on the left eye. Immunohistochemical analysis of the native cornea (the corneal button) revealed depositions of the same M protein type as detected in plasma and urine. Electron microscopy showed rhomboid-shaped corneal deposits of various sizes up to 4 μm. Recurrence of crystalline keratopathy was observed 9 months after keratoplasty. The monoclonal protein remained stable and the MGUS did not progress to multiple myeloma nor a related disorder. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPORTANCE: Crystalline keratopathy may be associated with MGUS in otherwise healthy individuals. If the keratopathy causes binocular visual loss, a corneal transplantation may be required. Unfortunately, recurrence of crystalline deposits in the corneal graft may occur within one year. This suggests that patients with vision impairment due to paraproteinemic keratopathy who are diagnosed as MGUS, in fact, have a monoclonal gammopathy of ocular significance (MGOS)

The use of eplerenone in therapy-resistant chronic central serous chorioretinopathy

Ophthalmic researc

Exome sequencing in patients with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy

Contains fulltext : 203997.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

Half-dose photodynamic therapy followed by diode micropulse laser therapy as treatment for chronic central serous chorioretinopathy: evaluation of a prospective treatment protocol

Item does not contain fulltextPURPOSE: To evaluate the outcome of a prospective protocol for the treatment of chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC). METHODS: Interventional prospective case series in 59 eyes (59 patients) with active chronic CSC. All patients were first treated with indocyanine green angiography (ICGA)-guided half-dose photodynamic therapy (PDT). In case of persistent serous subretinal fluid (SRF) after a follow-up period of at least 6 weeks, ICGA-guided PDT was repeated. If the SRF persisted after two PDT treatments, additional ICGA-guided high-density subthreshold diode micropulse laser (HSML) therapy was performed. Clinical evaluation included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), fundoscopy, OCT, fundus autofluorescence, fluorescein angiography and ICGA. RESULTS: After a single PDT treatment, complete resolution of SRF was seen in 37 of 59 eyes. Of the 22 eyes with no complete resolution of SRF, 19 eyes received a second PDT treatment, after which seven eyes of the 19 eyes showed a complete resolution of SRF. Ten eyes underwent HSML, of which one eye had complete resolution of SRF within 7 weeks. At final follow-up a complete resolution of SRF was present in 80% of all eyes. The mean BCVA improved from 0.28 logMAR at baseline to 0.16 logMAR at final follow-up. Improvement of BCVA was highest after the first treatment (-0.12 logMAR, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The proposed treatment strategy using half-dose PDT and HSML in active chronic CSC resulted in an anatomical success rate of 80%. The first half-dose PDT treatment has the highest likelihood of a favourable treatment response on OCT and BCVA increase

Lunge performance and its determinants

PURPOSE: Abnormal choroidal blood flow is considered important in the pathogenesis of chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC). Optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography can image ocular blood cell flow and could thus provide novel insights in disease mechanisms of CSC. We evaluated depth-resolved flow in chronic CSC by OCT angiography compared to fluorescein angiography (FA) and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA). METHODS: Eighteen eyes with chronic CSC, and six healthy controls, were included. Two human observers annotated areas of staining, hypofluorescence, and hotspots on FA and ICGA, and areas of abnormal flow on OCT angiography. Interobserver agreement in annotating OCT angiography and FA/ICGA was measured by Jaccard indices (JIs). We assessed colocation of flow abnormalities and subretinal fluid visible on OCT, and the distance between hotspots on ICGA from flow abnormalities. RESULTS: Abnormal areas were most frequently annotated in late-phase ICGA and choriocapillary OCT angiography, with moderately high (median JI, 0.74) and moderate (median JI, 0.52) interobserver agreement, respectively. Abnormalities on late-phase ICGA and FA colocated with those on OCT angiography. Aberrant choriocapillary OCT angiography presented as foci of reduced flow surrounded by hyperperfused areas. Hotspots on ICGA were located near hypoperfused spots on OCT angiography (mean distance, 168 mum). Areas with current or former subretinal fluid were colocated with flow abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS: On OCT angiography, chronic CSC showed irregular choriocapillary flow patterns, corresponding to ICGA abnormalities. These results suggest focal choriocapillary ischemia with surrounding hyperperfusion that may lead to subretinal fluid leakage

Comparison between young and older women in explosive power output and its determinants during a single leg-press action after optimisation of load

PURPOSE: This study investigated whether pain from intravitreal injections (IVIs) can be reduced by injecting with a 33-G needle instead of the commonly used 30-G needle. Additionally, several pain-related psychological factors were explored as predictors of outcome. METHODS: This randomized crossover trial included 36 patients who received injections with both needles in randomized order. After the injection, patients rated IVI pain on a 0 to 10 scale. Before injection, distress and pain expectations were assessed. Afterward, patients rated the IVI procedure and anticipated consequences. In addition, we assessed the force necessary to penetrate the sclera for both needles in porcine eyes. RESULTS: The 33-G needle did not result in lower IVI pain (2.8 vs. 3.1, P = 0.758) but tended to cause less vitreal reflux (0 vs. 5 times, P = 0.054). Factors related to more pain were distress, expecting IVI pain and discomfort, dissatisfaction with the preparation procedure, anticipating negative consequences, and female gender. Patients regarded povidone-iodine disinfection as particularly unpleasant. Exploration of the needles' mechanical properties showed that 33-G needles penetrate the sclera more easily. CONCLUSION: The thinner 33-G needle does not reduce IVI pain but may limit scleral damage. Future efforts could be aimed at optimizing patient information, reducing distress, and the use of better tolerable disinfectants