En face image-based classification of diabetic macular edema using swept source optical coherence tomography

This retrospective study was performed to classify diabetic macular edema (DME) based on the localization and area of the fluid and to investigate the relationship of the classification with visual acuity (VA). The fluid was visualized using en face optical coherence tomography (OCT) images constructed using swept-source OCT. A total of 128 eyes with DME were included. The retina was segmented into: Segment 1, mainly comprising the inner nuclear layer and outer plexiform layer, including Henle's fiber layer; and Segment 2, mainly comprising the outer nuclear layer. DME was classified as: foveal cystoid space at Segment 1 and no fluid at Segment 2 (n=24), parafoveal cystoid space at Segment 1 and no fluid at Segment 2 (n=25), parafoveal cystoid space at Segment 1 and diffuse fluid at Segment 2 (n=16), diffuse fluid at both segments (n=37), and diffuse fluid at both segments with subretinal fluid (n=26). Eyes with diffuse fluid at Segment 2 showed significantly poorer VA, higher ellipsoid zone disruption rates, and greater central subfield thickness than did those without fluid at Segment 2 (P<0.001 for all). These results indicate the importance of the localization and area of the fluid for VA in DME

Embedding of Epiretinal Proliferation for a Secondary Lamellar Macular Hole 12 Years after Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment Repair

A 58-year-old Japanese man underwent vitrectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) in 2002. Twelve years later, optical coherence tomography revealed the development of a lamellar macular hole; the visual acuity was 20/200. Two years later, because metamorphopsia and the foveal retina thinning were aggravated, epiretinal proliferation embedding was performed to restore the foveal structure by transplanting glial cells to the foveal cavity. The patient was followed-up for 4 years, and his macular morphology and visual acuity (20/66) improved. No complications occurred. This appears to be the first report of epiretinal proliferation embedding for a lamellar macular hole post-RRD repair

Assessment of epiretinal membrane formation using en face optical coherence tomography after rhegmatogenous retinal detachment repair

Purpose　To investigate epiretinal membrane (ERM) formation using en face optical coherence tomography (OCT) after vitrectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). Methods　We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 64 consecutive eyes (64 patients) with RRD treated by vitrectomy without ERM and internal limiting membrane peeling. ERMs and retinal folds were detected by B-scan and en face imaging. The maximum depth of retinal folds (MDRF) was quantified using en face imaging. ERM severity was staged using B-scan imaging. Main outcome measures were ERM detection rate with B-scan and en face imaging, MDRF, ERM staging, postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA; logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution), and risk factors for ERM formation. Results　The detection rate for ERM formation was significantly higher with en face imaging (70.3%) than with B-scan imaging (46.9%; P = 0.007). There was no significant difference in postoperative BCVA between eyes with ERM formation (0.06 ± 0.26) and those without ERM formation (0.01 ± 0.14; P = 0.298). Forty of 45 (88.9%) eyes with ERM formation were classified as stage 1. Twenty-seven of 45 (60.0%) eyes with ERM formation developed parafoveal retinal folds. The mean MDRF was 27.4 ± 32.2 μm. Multiple retinal breaks and a maximum retinal break size of ≥ 2 disc diameters were significantly associated with ERM formation (P = 0.033 and P = 0.031, respectively). Conclusion　Although ERM formation was observed in 70.3% patients after RRD repair, the formed ERM was not severe and had minimal impact on the postoperative visual acuity

Secular Decreasing Trend in Plasma Eicosapentaenoic and Docosahexaenoic Acids among Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome from 2011 to 2019: A Single Center Descriptive Study

Despite intensive lipid-lowering interventions, patients treated with statins develop atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), and these patients have an increased risk of developing recurrent cardiovascular events during follow-up. Therefore, there is a need to focus on the residual risks in patients in statin therapy to further reduce ASCVD. The aim of this study was to retrospectively investigate the 10-year trend (2011-2019) regarding changes in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in a single center. We included 686 men and 203 women with ACS admitted to Kagawa Prefectural Central Hospital. Plasma PUFAs, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), arachidonic acid (AA), and dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA), were measured at admission for suspected ACS. A secular decreasing trend in the levels of EPA and DHA and the EPA/AA ratio, but not of AA and DGLA, was observed. The analyses based on age (>70 or <70 years) and sex showed that the decreasing trend in the levels of EPA and DHA did not depend on age and remained significant only in men. Further studies are needed to obtain robust evidence to justify that the administration of n-3 PUFA contributes to the secondary prevention of ACS

Endogenous Bacterial Endophthalmitis Caused by Iliopsoas Abscess

A 79-year-old woman presented to our hospital with a 10-day history of gradually worsening binocular vision and severe backache. Further investigations revealed poor bilateral best-corrected visual acuities (BCVA), bilateral vitreous opacities, gray-white lesions scattered throughout the retina, and a left iliopsoas abscess on CT that later grew out methicillin-sensitive S. aureus. The abscess was drained and intravenous antibiotics were initiated, but the left eye additionally required intravitreal vancomycin. BCVA for both eyes normalized within 1 year. Intramuscular abscess should be considered as a possible primary lesion in cases of endogenous bacterial endophthalmitis

Sublingual Gland Carcinoma Revealed by Choroidal Metastasis

A 65-year-old man presented with a 1-week history of left eye distortion. An elevated choroidal lesion covering 6 disc diameters was found in the posterior retina of the left eye. Systemic examination revealed sublingual gland carcinoma and multiple lung metastases, and the diagnosis was choroidal metastasis from sublingual gland carcinoma. Following chemotherapy and radiation therapy, the choroidal lesion shrunk and the patient’s visual acuity improved. The patient died 23 months after his first visit. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of choroidal metastasis from sublingual gland carcinoma

Total Synthesis and Structural Revision of Cyclotetrapeptide Asperterrestide A

The structural revision of cyclotetrapeptide asperterrestide A has been achieved based on total synthesis and molecular modeling. For these studies, (2R,3S)-MePhe­(3-OH) and (2S,3S)-MePhe­(3-OH) suitably protected for peptide synthesis were prepared via a stereoselective reduction of a ketone precursor derived from L- or d-serine, using L-selectride or DIBAL-H. The synthesis of the proposed structure of asperterrestide A (1a) was accomplished by solution-phase synthesis of a linear precursor followed by macrolactamization. The NMR spectra of our synthetic 1a were not identical to those reported for the natural compound. Molecular modeling studies suggested that the correct structure 1b was the one in which the stereochemistry at the α-positions of the Ala and MePhe­(3-OH) residues is the opposite to that of the proposed structure. This was confirmed by the total synthesis of 1b and its subsequent structural characterization

Effect of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment on preoperative and postoperative retinal sensitivities

This retrospective study investigated foveal and perifoveal retinal sensitivities using microperimetry before and after surgery for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). Consecutive patients with RRD who underwent vitrectomy or scleral buckling were included. Comprehensive ophthalmological examinations, including microperimetry and swept-source optical coherence tomography, were performed before and 6 months after surgery. Pre- and postoperative retinal sensitivities at the fovea and 4 perifoveal measurement points farthest from the fixation point, both vertically and horizontally (superior, inferior, nasal, and temporal) were examined. A total of 34 foveal and 136 perifoveal measurement points in 34 eyes of 34 patients were evaluated. The postoperative retinal sensitivity was significantly higher than the preoperative value at foveal and perifoveal points with (P<0.001 for both) and without (fovea: P=0.005, perifovea: P<0.001) RRD. The postoperative retinal sensitivity was significantly lower at foveal (P<0.01) and perifoveal (P<0.001) points with preoperative RRD than at points without preoperative RRD; furthermore, it was significantly better at points with ellipsoid zone (Ez) continuity than at points with Ez discontinuity (fovea: P<0.01, perifovea: P<0.001). RRD deteriorates retinal sensitivity, regardless of its presence or absence at the measurement point before surgery. Postoperative Ez continuity is important for good postoperative retinal sensitivity

Results of a Treat-and-Extend Regimen of Intravitreal Ranibizumab Injection for Macular Edema due to Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion

To investigate the effectiveness of a treat-and-extend regimen (TAE) of intravitreal ranibizumab injections (IVR) for macular edema (ME) due to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). We retrospectively examined 35 eyes of 35 patients with ME due to BRVO who underwent TAE for 1 year. Patients whose treatment interval extended to 12 weeks were switched to a pro re nata regimen (PRN; TAE to PRN group), while TAE was continued for patients whose treatment interval was less than 12 weeks (continued TAE group). Changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central retinal thickness (CRT), and predictive factors for inclusion in the TAE to PRN group were analyzed. BCVA and CRT both improved significantly at 1 year compared with baseline (p<0.001). Sixteen eyes (45.7%) were included in the TAE to PRN group, while 19 eyes (54.3%) were included in the continued TAE group. BCVA in the TAE to PRN group was significantly better than that in the continued TAE group at 1 year (p=0.047). BCVA at baseline and macular BRVO were significant predictive factors for inclusion in the TAE to PRN group. TAE was effective for improving BCVA and CRT. The TAE to PRN group showed significantly better prognosis

Elevated serum adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein concentrations are independently associated with renal dysfunction in patients with stable angina pectoris

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with cardiovascular events. Adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP) plays an important role in atherosclerosis. We investigated whether plasma A-FABP is involved in renal function in patients with stable angina pectoris.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 221 patients with significant coronary artery stenosis were enrolled after coronary angiography. CKD was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 ml/min/1.73 m². The severity of coronary stenosis was assessed using a modified Gensini score and coronary angiography. Serum A-FABP levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Serum A-FABP levels were significantly correlated with both eGFR (r = -0.41, p < 0.01) and the severity of coronary artery stenosis (r = 0.16, p = 0.02), and these relationships remained significant after adjusting for confounding factors. The prevalence of CKD and multi-vessel disease was significantly higher among patients with serum A-FABP levels above the median value of 20.3 ng/ml than among patients with serum A-FABP levels below the median value (57% vs. 27%, p < 0.01 and 64% vs. 48%, p = 0.02, respectively). Multivariate analysis revealed that the presence of three-vessel disease in comparison with single-vessel disease was independently associated with the higher A-FABP (per doubling) (odds ratio; 2.26, 95% confidential interval; 1.28-3.98, p < 0.01) and tended to be associated with the lower eGFR (p = 0.06).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Serum A-FABP may have a significant role in the interplay between renal dysfunction and coronary atherosclerosis.</p