The effect of ketotifen on inflammatory markers in allergic conjunctivitis: an open, uncontrolled study

BACKGROUND: The efficacy and safety of ketotifen eye drop treatment in allergic conjunctivitis (AC) management is perfectly known by several studies, but the mechanism of action at the biochemical levels is poorly understood so we decided to perform an open, uncontrolled study in order to investigate the effect of the topical administration of ketotifen fumarate 0.05% on biochemical markers of inflammation on conjunctival cells in patients with AC. METHODS: Nineteen patients with symptoms and signs of AC (itching, discharge, burning, redness, increase in the watery discharge, swelling and follicles) and with a history of allergy were prescribed with two daily instillation of one drop of eyewash ketotifen fumarate 0,05% in both eyes during thirty days. They were studied by measuring clinical and immunologic parameters. RESULTS: Ketotifen fumarate treatment significantly reduced the total symptoms and signs score for each patient as well as each symptoms and signs at all time points compared with day 0 (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.016, respectively). Although the percentage of HLA-DR+ epithelial cells diminished only in 58% of patients, the numbers of CD29+ and eotaxin+ epithelial cells dropped significantly in 68% and 73 % of them (p < 0.0062 and <0.0082, respectively) as a consequence of the treatment. In 9 out of 19 patients a simultaneous decrease in the percentage of epithelial cells positive for CD29 and eotaxin was observed. CONCLUSION: Ketotifen besides the well-known effect in reducing signs and symptoms of AC significantly diminished production of eotaxin and expression of CD29 by epithelial cells in patients with seasonal AC

Administration of a peptide inhibitor of alpha4-integrin inhibits the development of experimental autoimmune uveitis

Recruitment of lymphocytes into the retina and to the vitreous during the development of experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) is governed by factors such as the state of activation of inflammatory cells and the repertoire of adhesion molecules expressed by the local vascular endothelia. alpha4 Integrins and their receptors play an important role during homing of cells to the inflammatory site. In the present study, the effect of alpha4-integrin inhibitor on the development of EAU was investigated.Fil: Martín, Andrea P.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Vieira de Moraes, Luciana. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Tadokoro, Carlos E.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Commodaro, Alessandra G.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Urrets Zavalia, Enrique. Universidad Catolica de Córdoba. Facultad de Medicina. Clinica Universitaria Reina Fabiola; ArgentinaFil: Rabinovich, Gabriel Adrián. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Hospital de Clínicas General San Martín; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Fundación de Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental. Instituto de Biología y Medicina Experimental; ArgentinaFil: Urrets Zavalía, Julio Alberto. Universidad Catolica de Córdoba. Facultad de Medicina. Clinica Universitaria Reina Fabiola; ArgentinaFil: Rizzo, Luiz V.. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasil. Fundação Zerbini; BrasilFil: Serra, Horacio Marcelo. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas; Argentin

Impact of changing oxygenation policies on retinopathy of prematurity in a neonatal unit in Argentina.

AIMS: To assess the impact of different oxygenation policies on the rate and severity of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). METHODS: Between January 2003 and December 2006, infants of 1500 g birthweight (BW) or less and/or 32 weeks gestational age (GA) or less, and larger, more mature infants with risk factors for ROP were examined through three different time periods: period 1: high target oxygen saturation levels (88-96%) and treatment at threshold ROP; period 2: low target oxygen saturation levels (83-93%) and treatment at threshold ROP; period 3: low target oxygen saturation and treatment at type 1 ROP. RESULTS: Type 1 ROP was detected more frequently in babies of 32 weeks GA or less (50/365, 13.7%) than in more mature babies (15/1167, 1.3%; p<0.001). The rate of type 1 ROP in period 1 was 6.9%; period 2, 3.6% and period 3, 1.8%. Rates of stage 3 ROP declined over time in both BW/GA groups (from 9.0% to 4.1% to 2.0%) as did rates of plus disease (from 7.5% to 3.6% to 1.8%). Mean BW and GA declined from period 1 to period 3, and death rates remained unchanged. 74.4% of babies received all the examinations required; 48.1% of treatments were undertaken after discharge from the neonatal unit. CONCLUSIONS: Lower target oxygen saturation was associated with a lower rate of severe ROP without increasing mortality, and changed the characteristics of affected babies. Screening criteria need to remain wide enough to identify all babies at risk of ROP needing treatment

Genetic Background and Climatic Droplet Keratopathy Incidence in a Mapuche Population From Argentina

Purpose To determine whether the incidence of and susceptibility to climatic droplet keratopathy (CDK), an acquired, often bilateral degenerative corneal disease, is influenced by the genetic background of the individuals who exhibit the disorder. Methods To determine whether the disease expression was influenced by the genetic ancestry of CDK cases in native Mapuche of the northwest area of Patagonia in Argentina, we examined mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosome variation in 53 unrelated individuals. Twenty-nine of them were part of the CDK (patient) population, while 24 were part of the control group. The analysis revealed the maternal and paternal lineages that were present in the two study groups. Results This analysis demonstrated that nearly all persons had a Native American mtDNA background, whereas 50% of the CDK group and 37% of the control group had Native American paternal ancestry, respectively. There was no significant difference in the frequencies of mtDNA haplogroups between the CDK patient and control groups. Although the Y-chromosome data revealed differences in specific haplogroup frequencies between these two groups, there was no statistically significant relationship between individual paternal genetic backgrounds and the incidence or stage of disease. Conclusions These results indicate a lack of correlation between genetic ancestry as represented by haploid genetic systems and the incidence of CDK in Mapuche populations. In addition, the mtDNA appears to play less of a role in CDK expression than for other complex diseases linked to bioenergetic processes. However, further analysis of the mtDNA genome sequence and other genes involved in corneal function may reveal the more precise role that mitochondria play in the expression of CDK

Myopia as a risk factor for subsequent retinal tears in the course of a symptomatic posterior vitreous detachment

Abstract Background Retinal tears complicating the course of a posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) may be unique or multiple, and when multiple they may occur simultaneously or subsequently at different moments in the evolution of a PVD. The purpose of our study was to analyze the prevalence of subsequent retinal tears (SRT) in patients with a PVD, and to identify possible risk factors for SRT. Methods One hundred and seventy six eyes in 165 consecutive patients that presented one or more retinal tears in the evolution of a symptomatic PVD, with a minimum follow-up of 12 months, were retrospectively evaluated. The primary outcome measure was to characterize the clinical features associated with SRT formation against those eyes with non-subsequent retinal tear (NSRT-retinal tear/s diagnosed at initial examination) formation. For that purpose, this cohort of patients was divided into two different groups: group 1 included eyes presenting one or multiple retinal tears only at initial examination (NSRT), and group 2 eyes that progressed to a further retinal tear/s (SRT) during follow-up. Results Group 1 comprised 154 eyes from 145 patients, 48.7% males and 51.3% females with a mean age of 56.9 ± 14.0 years (range = 15-89); 17.2% of patients had a previous retinal tear or retinal detachment in the fellow eye; mean number of retinal tears per eye 1.42 ± 0.8 (range = 1-5); 20.8% presented bilateral retinal tears; 59.1% were myopic eyes (p < 0.05). Group 2 comprised 22 eyes from 20 patients; mean age was 53.3 ± 13.6 years (range = 30-69); 63.6% were male (p = 0.13), and 7 patients (31.8%) had a history of SRT or retinal detachment in the fellow eye (p = 0.13). The mean number of retinal tears per eye was 1.36 ± 0.5 (range = 1-2); bilateral retinal tears were noted in 18.2% of eyes; 86.4% were myopic eyes (p = 0.01); 81.8% occurred within a 120 days-period following diagnosis of the first retinal tear. Conclusions Multiple retinal tears may be diagnosed in the evolution of a PVD. SRT are most frequently observed in myopic patients, and are usually symptomatic. Follow-up must extend for at least 4 months after the initial symptoms