1: Ophthalmologica. 2008 May 9;222(4):249-253 [Epub ahead of print] 

Relationship between Diabetic Macular Edema and Peripheral Th1/Th2 Balance.

Itoi K, Nakamura K, Oku H, Ishizaki E, Sugiyama T, Ueki M, Maeno T, Sato B,
Ikeda T.

Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka Medical College, Osaka, Japan.

Purpose: To determine whether inflammatory reactions are involved in the
pathogenesis of diabetic macular edema, we examined the relationship between
diabetic macular edema and the ratio of T helper 1 (Th1) to T helper 2 (Th2)
cells. Methods: Thirty-nine diabetic patients with diabetic retinopathy were
evaluated at our hospital between February 2004 and February 2005. Blood samples
were collected from each patient, and the ratio of CD4+ Th1 to Th2 cells
(Th1/Th2) was determined by flow cytometry after fluorescent antibody staining
for intracellular cytokines. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine
the association of macular edema with age, gender, HbA(1c) level, interval after
retinal photocoagulation and Th1/Th2 ratios. Differences in these parameters
were also compared between patients with and without macular edema. Results:
Logistic regression analysis showed that the Th1/Th2 ratios were significantly
associated with macular edema (odds ratio = 0.838; p = 0.02), while other
variables were not. The Th1/Th2 ratio was significantly lower in the patients
with diabetic macular edema than in those without (p = 0.02; t test). Higher
Th1/Th2 ratios tended to be associated with better visual acuity. Conclusions:
Shifts in the balance of Th1/Th2 towards a predominance of Th2 may represent an
exacerbating factor for diabetic macular edema, although a causal relationship
has still not been definitively determined. Copyright (c) 2008 S. Karger AG,
Basel.

PMID: 18467850 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

2: Ophthalmologica. 2008 May 9;222(4):245-248 [Epub ahead of print] 

An Experimental Study on Antimicrobial Activity of Silicone Oil in vitro.

Yan H, Li J.

Department of Ophthalmology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital,
Tianjin, China.

Objective: To study the antimicrobial activity of silicone oil against
Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and
Candida albicans in vitro. Methods:S. aureus, S. epidermidis, P. aeruginosa and
C. albicans were prepared to 1 McFarland turbidity, 10(5) and 10(3) CFU/ml. The
bacteria and fungi were inoculated into silicone oil (Acri.Sil-ol 5000),
physiologic saline, meat extract broth for bacteria and Sabouraud broth for
fungi, respectively. From each sample, 10 mul were taken and plated in petri
dishes with the addition of blood agar media for bacteria and Sabouraud dextrose
agar for fungi. After overnight incubation, CFUs were enumerated. Cultured from
the initially prepared specimens, overnight incubation and CFU counting were
repeated until no growth of microorganisms was seen in the silicone
oil-containing media. Results: (1) In the group 1 McFarland, S. aureus, S.
epidermidis, P. aeruginosa and C. albicans survived for 13, 6, 20, and 16 days
in silicone oil, respectively, which was shorter than in the other media. (2) In
the group 10(5) CFU/ml, S. aureus, S. epidermidis, P. aeruginosa and C. albicans
survived for 2, 6, 20, and 1 days in silicone oil, respectively, which was
shorter than in the other media. (3) In the group 10(3) CFU/ml, S. aureus, S.
epidermidis, P. aeruginosa and C. albicans survived for 1, 1, 20, and 1 days in
silicone oil, respectively, which was shorter than in the other media.
Conclusion: Silicone oil has a significant antimicrobial activity against S.
aureus, S. epidermidis, P. aeruginosa and C. albicans in vitro. Copyright (c)
2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

PMID: 18467849 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

3: Ophthalmologica. 2008 May 8;222(4):232-239 [Epub ahead of print] 

The Effect of a Combined Therapy with a Histamine H(1) Antagonist and a Chemical
Mediator Release Inhibitor on Allergic Conjunctivitis.

Fujishima H, Fukagawa K, Tanaka M, Uchio E, Takamura E, Nakagawa Y, Miyazaki D,
Fukushima A, Okamoto S, Yokoi N.

Department of Ophthalmology, International University of Health and Welfare,
Mita Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of a combined therapy with levocabastine
hydrochloride ophthalmic suspension and pemirolast potassium ophthalmic solution
compared to single therapy with levocabastine hydrochloride ophthalmic
suspension alone. Methods: Thirty-two allergic conjunctivitis patients were
randomized to combined-treatment (n = 15) or single-treatment groups (n = 17).
The improvement of subjective symptoms as well as objective findings were
evaluated. Results: The degree of improvement was significantly higher in the
combined-treatment group for lacrimation (p = 0.008) among the subjective
symptoms, for conjunctival edema (p = 0.030), eyelid edema (p = 0.032) and
conjunctival papilla formation(p = 0.040) among the objective findings.
Conclusions: Both objective assessments and subjective symptoms of allergic
conjunctivitis showed the greatest improvements when patients were treated with
combined therapy as compared to single-agent therapy. The enhanced benefits of
combined therapy may result from these agents having different mechanisms of
action. Copyright (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

PMID: 18463425 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

4: Ophthalmologica. 2008 May 8;222(4):229-231 [Epub ahead of print] 

A Double-Blind Randomized Control Study to Determine the Effect of
Visthesiatrade mark Viscoelastic Substance on Pain following LASEK.

Kirwan C, Mulqueen C, O\'Keefe M.

Mater Private Hospital, Dublin, Ireland.

Aim: To determine the efficacy of topical Visthesiatrade mark drops and
viscoelastic in reducing pain during the early postoperative period following
laser-assisted subepithelial keratectomy (LASEK). Methods: In a prospective
randomized double-blind study, LASEK was performed on both eyes of patients
using the Technolas 217Z Laser (Bausch & Lomb). Visthesia was placed in one eye
and placebo (Healon) in the fellow eye, following insertion of a bandage contact
lens on completion of surgery. Pain experienced on the evening of surgery and
the following morning were scored using a visual analogue scale. Results: 18
patients of mean age 27.3 years were examined. Mean refractive spherical
equivalent was not statistically different between both groups (p = 0.6). No
statistically significant difference (p = 0.87) in pain was detected between
both groups on the evening of surgery or the following morning (p = 0.12).
Conclusion: Visthesia, applied topically on completion of LASEK, did not have a
significant effect on pain during the early postoperative period compared with
placebo. Copyright (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

PMID: 18463424 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

5: Ophthalmologica. 2008 May 8;222(4):225-228 [Epub ahead of print] 

Retinopathy in Patients with Diabetic Ophthalmoplegia.

Acaroglu G, Akinci A, Zilelioglu O.

Department of Neuroophthalmology, Ministry of Health Ulucanlar Eye Hospital,
Ankara, Turkey.

Purpose: To compare patients with palsy of the 3rd, 4th or 6th cranial nerve due
to diabetes mellitus (DM) with controls matched for age, sex and disease
duration in terms of the presence and severity of diabetic retinopathy. Patients
and Method: Thirty-three diabetic patients with cranial nerve palsies and 33
age- and sex-matched controls with the same duration of disease were included in
this case-control study. Groups were evaluated in terms of the type of DM,
presence and level of diabetic retinopathy and coexisting systemic diseases.
Outcomes were compared by chi(2) and paired-sample tests. Results: Eleven
patients had diabetic retinopathy in the study group. In the control group, 23
patients had diabetic retinopathy. Differences in the presence and severity of
diabetic retinopathy between the two groups were found to be statistically
significant (p = 0.028 and p = 0.018, respectively). Conclusion: Presence and
level of diabetic retinopathy are significantly lower in diabetics with cranial
nerve palsy than in the age-, sex- and disease-duration-matched controls.
Copyright (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

PMID: 18463423 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

6: Ophthalmologica. 2008 May 8;222(4):220-224 [Epub ahead of print] 

Retinopathy of Prematurity: Clinic and Pathogenesis. Disproportion between
Apoptosis of Vitreal and Proliferation of Retinal Vascularization.

Pau H.

Department of Ophthalmology, Heinrich Heine University, Dusseldorf, Germany.

The structure of adult human vitreous condensations (tractus, membranelles)
corresponds to the structure of obliterated embryonal vasa hyaloidea. Some
embryonal hyaloidal vessels and structures extend from the tunica vasculosa
lentis and attach to the retina between the equator and ora serrata. In normal
fetal development, these hyaloidal vessels and structures successively disappear
because of apoptosis. The lower the birth weight of a premature infant, the
higher the risk of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) due to the disproportion
between the regression of vasa hyaloidea (hyaloideoretinal adherences) and the
proliferation of retinal vessels. This may be caused by an enhanced growth of
retinal vessels (or a delayed regression of vasa hyaloidea). The growth of
retinal vessels stops at a barrier formed by the retina-attaching hyaloidal
remnants (vessels), resulting in a demarcation line and ROP. The same retinal
vessels may then, as a fibrovascular tissue, overgrow the remnants of
retina-attaching hyaloidal structures (as guiding formations) through the
vitreous cavity up to the tunica vasculosa lentis. The process may result in the
progression from ROP stage 2 to ROP stage 5. Copyright (c) 2008 S. Karger AG,
Basel.

PMID: 18463422 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]