20 research outputs found
Pediatric cochlear implantation: an update
Deafness in pediatric age can adversely impact language acquisition as well as educational and social-emotional
development. Once diagnosed, hearing loss should be rehabilitated early; the goal is to provide the child with
maximum access to the acoustic features of speech within a listening range that is safe and comfortable. In presence
of severe to profound deafness, benefit from auditory amplification cannot be enough to allow a proper language
development. Cochlear implants are partially implantable electronic devices designed to provide profoundly deafened
patients with hearing sensitivity within the speech range. Since their introduction more than 30 years ago, cochlear
implants have improved their performance to the extent that are now considered to be standard of care in the
treatment of children with severe to profound deafness. Over the years patient candidacy has been expanded and
the criteria for implantation continue to evolve within the paediatric population. The minimum age for implantation
has progressively reduced; it has been recognized that implantation at a very early age (12–18 months) provides
children with the best outcomes, taking advantage of sensitive periods of auditory development. Bilateral implantation
offers a better sound localization, as well as a superior ability to understand speech in noisy environments than unilateral
cochlear implant. Deafened children with special clinical situations, including inner ear malformation, cochlear nerve
deficiency, cochlear ossification, and additional disabilities can be successfully treated, even thogh they require
an individualized candidacy evaluation and a complex post-implantation rehabilitation. Benefits from cochlear
implantation include not only better abilities to hear and to develop speech and language skills, but also improved
academic attainment, improved quality of life, and better employment status. Cochlear implants permit deaf people
to hear, but they have a long way to go before their performance being comparable to that of the intact human ear;
researchers are looking for more sophisticated speech processing strategies as well as a more efficient coupling
between the electrodes and the cochlear nerve with the goal of dramatically improving the quality of sound of
the next generation of implants
Cogan syndrome
To lead ophthalmologists to consider Cogan syndrome
when managing a patient presenting with keratitis or other ocular
inflammation accompanied by sensorineural hearing loss. Methods.
Seven patients affected by Cogan syndrome were studied: two
males and five females, ranging from 27 to 65 years of age (mean
age: 41 years). Subjects were evaluated for a period ranging from
22 to 46 months (mean follow up time: 29.2 months). All patients
were treated with immunosuppressive drug combination therapy
(IDCT). Results. Three patients were affected by classic Cogan
syndrome (i.e., vestibuloauditory symptoms and later sensorineural
hearing loss and interstitial keratitis). Four patients presented
atypical Cogan syndrome (i.e., sensorineural hearing loss and
chronic ocular inflammation such as uveitis, scleritis, conjunctivitis,
retinal vasculitis, etc.). Four of these patients had a late diagnosis.
Two of them were diagnosed when they already had a
cochlear implant, one with bilateral deafness underwent cochlear
implantation 1 year after the beginning of IDCT, one had severe
bilateral hearing loss that improved during the first year of IDCT,
and then rapidly worsened to total deafness in 1 month following
an episode of severe systemic hypotension. Three patients who had
an early diagnosis of Cogan syndrome had no worsening of vestibuloauditory
dysfunction during the follow up period. Conclusion.
Diagnosis of Cogan syndrome should not be overlooked by
ophthalmologists in all patients with recurrent ocular inflammatory
disease associated with vestibuloauditory symptoms. Early diagnosis
is essential to commence the appropriate immunosuppressive
therapy that may prevent permanent hearing loss and ocular
dysfunctionPurpose. To lead ophthalmologists to consider Cogan syndrome when managing a patient presenting with keratitis or other ocular inflammation accompanied by sensorineural hearing loss. Methods. Seven patients affected by Cogan syndrome were studied: two males and live females, ranging from 27 to 65 years of age (mean age: 41 years). Subjects were evaluated for a period ranging from 22 to 46 months (mean follow up time: 29.2 months). All patients were treated with immunosuppressive drug combination therapy (IDCT). Results. Three patients Were affected by classic Cogan syndrome (i.e., vestibuloauditory symptoms and later sensorineural hearing loss and interstitial keratitis). Four patients presented atypical Cogan syndrome (i.e., sensorineural hearing loss and chronic ocular inflammation such as uveitis, scleritis, conjunctivitis, retinal vasculitis, etc.). Four of these patients had a late diagnosis. Two of them were diagnosed when they already had a cochlear implant, one with bilateral deafness underwent cochlear implantation I year after the beginning of IDCT, one had severe bilateral hearing loss that improved during the first year of IDCT, and then rapidly worsened to total deafness in 1 month following an episode of severe systemic hypotension. Three patients who had an early diagnosis of Cogan syndrome had no worsening of vestibuloauditory dysfunction during the follow up period. Conclusion. Diagnosis of Cogan syndrome should riot be overlooked by ophthalmologists in all patients with recurrent ocular inflammatory disease associated with vestibuloauditory symptoms. Early diagnosis is essential to commence the appropriate immunosuppressive therapy that may prevent permanent hearing loss and ocular dysfunction
Sensitivity and specificity of a visual acuity screening protocol performed with the Lea Symbols 15-line folding distance chart in preschool children.
Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of a visual acuity
(VA) test using the Lea Symbols 15-line folding distance chart and its diagnostic
validity in detecting VA deficiency in preschool children.
Methods: A group of 149 children aged 38–54 months underwent VA examination
performed with the Lea 15-line folding optotype at a distance of 3 metres,
according to a test protocol described in the Methods section. After the VA test,
a complete ophthalmological examination, including cycloplegic retinoscopy,
a cover test and examination of the anterior and posterior segments, was performed
on each child in order to detect any VA-threatening ocular abnormality.
The Lea Symbols test’s sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood
ratios (LR +, LR )) and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve
were calculated by means of standard procedures using each VA level of the
chart from 0.1 to 1 (1–0 logMAR) as a cut-off point.
Results: The Lea Symbols test could be successfully used in 95.9% of the population.
The most useful cut-off points for screening preschool children were
found to be 0.8 (LR +5.73, LR ) 0.05) or 0.63 (LR +11.7, LR ) 0.23).
Conclusion: The Lea Symbols test proved to be clinically useful in detecting
VA deficiency in preschool children. The choice between the two best performing
cut-off levels should be made according to the expected cost-effectiveness
of the screening programme
Effect of a drug combination treatment on ocular perfusion in recurrent idiopathic intermediate uveitis
Purpose: To test the effect of a drug combination therapy on ocular perfusion in human eyes affected by idiopathic intermediate uveitis. Methods: Seven patients (12 eyes) showing active signs of intermediate uveitis, with at least two more similar episodes reported within the previous 12 months, were enrolled in a prospective case series. Two fellow healthy eyes of two of the enrolled patients were studied as internal controls. Color Doppler imaging of the central retinal artery (CRA), the ophthalmic artery (OA), and the posterior ciliary arteries (PCAs) was performed at the time of enrollment, and at 6 and 12 months after starting treatment with oral fluorocortolone, cyclosporine, and parenteral methotrexate. The best-corrected visual acuity was concurrently measured as a second parameter. Results: In the 12 affected eyes, the mean visual acuity (+/-SD) improved from 0.15(+/-0.12) to 0.04(+/-0.18) LogMAR (paired samples Student's t-test: p = 0.015). The resistivity index (RI +/- SD) of the CRA decreased from 0.81(+/- 0.13) to 0.71(+/-0.13)(P = 0.0091). Further, the variation of the RI in the PCAs reached a borderline significance (p = 0.062), decreasing from 0.71(+/-0.12) to 0.61(+/-0.12). No significant changes were observed in the OA. Moreover, eyes showing a visual improvement of greater than or equal to0.1 (LogMAR) were more likely to show a greater than or equal to10% improvement of the RI for the CRA (Fisher's exact test: p = 0.018; power = 90%; alpha probability = 5%; odds ratio = 24). Conclusions: In eyes affected by idiopathic intermediate uveitis, treated with a systemic drug combination therapy, the improvement of the visual acuity seems to correlate with a proportional improvement of the retrobulbar circulation
Autoimmune uveitis in children: clinical correlation between antinuclear antibody positivity and ocular recurrences.
OBJECTIVE:
The aim of this study was to identify the correlation between antinuclear antibody (ANA) titre and the onset and clinical course of uveitis in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) or without any other systemic autoimmune disease, i.e., idiopathic uveitis (IU).
METHODS:
Twenty-two patients affected by uveitis were examined. Ten had JIA-associated uveitis, 12 had IU. Follow-up ranged from 7 to 101 months. The ANA were titrated three times per year and additionally in case of ocular recurrences. All patients were treated with immunosuppressive drug combination therapy (IDCT).
RESULTS:
JIA-associated uveitis: ocular recurrences were noted in three ANA-positive patients and in one ANA-negative patient. IU uveitis: ocular recurrences were noted in one ANA-positive and in one ANA-negative patient. No significant rise in ANA titre was noted in either group during uveitis recurrence
Autoimmune uveitis in children: clinical correlation between antinuclear antibody positivity and ocular recurrences.
OBJECTIVE:
The aim of this study was to identify the correlation between antinuclear antibody (ANA) titre and the onset and clinical course of uveitis in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) or without any other systemic autoimmune disease, i.e., idiopathic uveitis (IU).
METHODS:
Twenty-two patients affected by uveitis were examined. Ten had JIA-associated uveitis, 12 had IU. Follow-up ranged from 7 to 101 months. The ANA were titrated three times per year and additionally in case of ocular recurrences. All patients were treated with immunosuppressive drug combination therapy (IDCT).
RESULTS:
JIA-associated uveitis: ocular recurrences were noted in three ANA-positive patients and in one ANA-negative patient. IU uveitis: ocular recurrences were noted in one ANA-positive and in one ANA-negative patient. No significant rise in ANA titre was noted in either group during uveitis recurrence
Human RNA integrity after postmortem retinal tissue recovery
Purpose: To assess the parameters for postmortem retinal tissue recovery and processing that affect the quality of RNA extracted from the retina/retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) complex.
Methods: RNA was extracted from retina/RPE samples. The RNA quality was determined based on qualitative/quantitative measurements made with a Bioanalyzer (Agilent) and on the expression of a long retinal gene (RPE65). After a pilot analysis on rats, ocular RNA was extracted from human donor eyeballs (group A) explanted according to conventional procedures for cornea transplantation. In a second experiment, another group of human donor eyeballs (group B) were processed in a much shorter time. The postmortem interval (T) comprised two periods: T1, the time between a donor’s death and enucleation, and T2, the time between eyeball explantation and immersion of the excised retina/RPE sample in preservative solution (T = T1 + T2).
Results: A short T2 was correlated with good quality of RNA extracted from the retina/RPE complex (p = 0.043) and successful expression of a tissue-specific gene (p = 0.007). No other parameter appeared to influence RNA quality.
Conclusions: The time between eyeball explantation and immersion of the retina/RPE sample in preservative solution was the chief parameter affecting the quality of RNA extracted from the retina/RPE complex