An international collaborative evaluation of central serous chorioretinopathy: different therapeutic approaches and review of literature. The European Vitreoretinal Society central serous chorioretinopathy study

Purpose: To study and compare the efficacy of different therapeutic options for the treatment of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR). Methods: This is a nonrandomized, international multicentre study on 1719 patients (1861 eyes) diagnosed with CSCR, from 63 centres (24 countries). Reported data included different methods of treatment and both results of diagnostic examinations [fluorescein angiography and/or optical coherent tomography (OCT)] and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) before and after therapy. The duration of observation had a mean of 11 months but was extended in a minority of cases up to 7 years. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the different therapeutic options of CSCR in terms of both visual (BCVA) and anatomic (OCT) improvement. Results: One thousand seven hundred nineteen patients (1861 eyes) diagnosed with CSCR were included. Treatments performed were nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory eye drops, laser photocoagulation, micropulse diode laser photocoagulation, photodynamic therapy (PDT; Standard PDT, Reduced-dose PDT, Reduced-fluence PDT), intravitreal (IVT) antivascular endothelial growth factor injection (VEGF), observation and other treatments. The list of the OTHERS included both combinations of the main proposed treatments or a variety of other treatments such as eplerenone, spironolactone, acetazolamide, beta-blockers, anti-anxiety drugs, aspirin, folic acid, methotrexate, statins, vitis vinifera extract medication and pars plana vitrectomy. The majority of the patients were men with a prevalence of 77%. The odds ratio (OR) showed a partial or complete resolution of fluid on OCT with any treatment as compared with observation. In univariate analysis, the anatomical result (improvement in subretinal fluid using OCT at 1 month) was favoured by age <60 years (p < 0.005), no previous observation (p < 0.0002), duration less than 3 months (p < 0.0001), absence of CSCR in the fellow eye (p = 0.04), leakage outside of the arcade (p = 0.05) and fluid height >500 \u3bcm (p = 0.03). The OR for obtaining partial or complete resolution showed that anti-VEGF and eyedrops were not statistically significant; whereas PDT (8.5), thermal laser (11.3) and micropulse laser (8.9) lead to better anatomical results with less variability. In univariate analysis, the functional result at 1 month was favoured by first episode (p = 0.04), height of subretinal fluid >500 \u3bcm (p < 0.0001) and short duration of observation (p = 0.02). Finally, there was no statistically significant difference among the treatments at 12 months. Conclusion: Spontaneous resolution has been described in a high percentage of patients. Laser (micropulse and thermal) and PDT seem to lead to significant early anatomical improvement; however, there is little change beyond the first month of treatment. The real visual benefit needs further clarification

Weekday and weekend moderate to vigorous physical activity of young musicians in the context of public health recommendations.

Introduction: Physical activity is very important for the proper mental and physical development of children and youths, especially for the development of the locomotor system. The students of music schools are a unique group of children and youths, because of specific loads on the organs of locomotion, associated with the playing of musical instruments. They can therefore be exposed to a variety of health problems, particularly in the case of insufficient physical activity. Objective: The aim of the presented study was to assess the level of physical activity of music schools’ students on weekdays and weekends against the parameters of physical efforts beneficial to health. Method and materials: The study involved 225 musicians from the Katowice School of Music, Complex of I and II degrees, aged 10–18 years(138 girls and 87 boys). The level of physical activity was assessed on the basis of moderate to vigorous rates (MVPA). Results: Both on weekdays as well as at the weekends, boys presented a higher level of physical activity of at least moderate intensity (MVPA), which also resulted in a greater total weekly pro-health physical activity. Both boys and girls dedicated significantly more time to beneficial pro-health efforts physical health at weekends (p<0.01). The percentage of young musicians who meet accepted (in this study) standards for the optimal amount of physical activity in both groups was dramatically low (3.6% of girls and 11.5% of boys). Conclusion: Both boys and girls from the music schools often undertake moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) at the weekends. The boys more often than the girls made pro-health physical efforts of moderate and high intensity

Effect of Various Xenobiotics on Hatching Success of Spodoptera exigua Eggs as Compared to a Natural Plant Extract

The effects of fenitrothion, carbaryl, and mancozeb, present in polluted water and plant extracted glycoalkaloids, were examined on hatching success of Spodoptera exigua eggs. All chemicals produced a significant decrease in hatching success, which was correlated with chemical concentration. One of the most interesting aspects of this study relates to the biological activity of glycoalkaloid