Factors predicting normal visual acuity following anatomically successful macular hole surgery
Purpose: To assess the incidence of normal vision following anatomically successful macular hole surgery and associated clinical variables. Methods: Multicentre, retrospective chart review. Preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative clinical data were extracted from electronic medical records from seven European vitreoretinal units. Inclusion criteria were as follows: eyes undergoing primary vitrectomy for idiopathic full-thickness macular hole from January 2015 to January 2018; postoperative macular hole closure confirmed by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT); preoperative pseudophakia or phakic eyes receiving combined cataract surgery; one-year follow-up. The primary o…
One week of levofloxacin plus dexamethasone eye drops for cataract surgery: an innovative and rational therapeutic strategy
Background: Cataract surgery is the most common operation performed worldwide. A fixed topical corticosteroid-antibiotic combination is usually prescribed in clinical practice for 2 or more weeks to treat post surgical inflammation and prevent infection. However, this protracted schedule may increase the incidence of corticosteroid-related adverse events and notably promote antibiotic resistance. Methods: This International, multicentre, randomized, blinded-assessor, parallel-group clinical study evaluated the non-inferiority of 1-week levofloxacin/dexamethasone eye drops, followed by 1-week dexamethasone alone, vs. 2-week gold-standard tobramycin/dexamethasone (one drop QID for all schedul…
Individualized treatment duration for hepatitis C genotype 1 patients: a randomized controlled trial
It was hypothesized that in hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 patients, variable treatment duration individualized by first undetectable HCV RNA is as effective as standard 48-week treatment. Patients (n_696) received peginterferon alfa-2a, 180 mg/week, or peginterferon alfa-2b, 1.5 mg/kg/week, plus ribavirin, 1000-1200 mg/day, for 48 weeks (standard, n _237) or for 24, 48, or 72 weeks if HCV-RNA–negative at weeks 4, 8, or 12, respectively (variable, n _ 459). Sustained virologic response (SVR) was achieved in 45.1% [95% confidence interval (CI) 38.8-51.4] of the patients in the standard group and in 48.8% (CI 44.2-53.3) of the patients in the variable group (P _ 0.37). The percentages of …
Endogenous levels of mRNA for IFNs and IFN-related genes in hepatic biopsies of chronic HCV-infected and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis patients.
To investigate the intra-hepatic activation of the IFN system in patients affected by chronic HCV-infection in comparison with that observed in a non-infectious liver disease such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, we measured the liver steady state mRNA levels of interferon-alpha, interferon-beta and interferon-gamma as well as of IFN-related genes (IFNAR-1, STAT1alpha, PKR, 2-5 AS, IRF-1, ICE and IL-18). In HCV-infected subjects, possible correlations of these parameters with viral load and liver injury were also analyzed. Twenty-four chronic untreated HCV-infected subjects and seven patients with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis were enrolled in the study. Liver biopsies were graded accordin…
Individualized treatment with combination of Peg-interferon alpha 2b and ribavirin in patients infected with HCV genotype 3.
The benefit of individualizing treatment for patients with genotype 3 HCV infection on the basis of viral clearance at week 4 (wk4-R) has not been firmly established.Four hundred and fourteen patients received Peg-interferon alpha-2b plus 1000-1200 mg of ribavirin daily according with body weightor75 kg. Patients were randomized to standard 24 weeks (Std24) or to a 12 or 36 weeks variable treatment duration (Var12/36). In the variable treatment arm, patients with or without wk4-R were allocated to either 12 or 36 weeks duration.At treatment week 4, HCV RNA was undetectable in 262 patients (63.3%), 136 in the Std24, and 126 in the Var12/36 group (p=0.41). In patients with wk4-R, end-of-treat…
Association of Inflammation Markers with Impaired Insulin Sensitivity and Coagulative Activation in Obese Healthy Women
Abstract Insulin resistance is associated with a low chronic inflammatory state. In this study we investigated the relationship between impaired insulin sensitivity and selected markers of inflammation and thrombin generation in obese healthy women. We examined 32 healthy obese women (body mass index ≥ 28), with normal insulin sensitivity (NIS, n = 14) or impaired insulin sensitivity (n = 18), and 10 nonobese women (body mass index < 25). Impaired insulin sensitivity patients had significantly higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), TGF-β1, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), activated factor VII (VIIa), and prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 (F1 + 2) compared with either control s…
Delayed Suprachoroidal Hemorrhage After Pars Plana Vitrectomy: Five-Year Results of a Retrospective Multicenter Cohort Study
Purpose To determine the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of delayed suprachoroidal hemorrhage after vitrectomy. Design Retrospective multicenter cohort study. Methods All consecutive patients who underwent primary vitrectomy, from January 2009 to December 2014, at 4 tertiary vitreoretinal centers in Italy were enrolled. Patient demographics and systemic, ophthalmic, operative, and postoperative data from all centers were extracted from the electronic record system using standardized data collection forms. All eyes that developed delayed suprachoroidal hemorrhage within 48 hours of the end of the vitrectomy were identified as the delayed suprachoroidal hemorrhage group; all other eyes …
LATE-ONSET OCULAR HYPERTENSION AFTER VITRECTOMY: A Multicenter Study of 6,048 Eyes
Purpose: To determine the incidence and risk factors for late-onset ocular hypertension (LOH) after vitrectomy. Methods: From the electronic medical records of consecutive patients who underwent primary vitrectomy, from January 2010 to December 2015, at 5 tertiary vitreoretinal centers in Italy, patient demographics, systemic, ophthalmic, operative, and postoperative data were drawn. Main outcome measure was the presence of LOH, defined as intraocular pressure >21 mmHg detected more than 2 months after vitrectomy on at least 2 consecutive visits. Results: Among 6,048 patients, LOH was found in 294 (4.9%) vitrectomized eyes and in 87 (1.4%) fellow eyes, (chi square; P < 0.001). Multiva…
Production of very neutron-deficient isotopes near Sn via reactions involving light-particle and cluster emission
Abstract The production of very neutron-deficient isotopes near 100Sn has been investigated by using on-line mass separation of evaporation residues produced by heavy-ion induced complete-fusion reactions. We measured the cross sections for 99Cd, 100In, 101Sn and 102In via 58Ni+58Ni fusion reactions followed by cluster emission, and via 58Ni+50Cr fusion reactions accompanied by evaporation of protons, neutrons or α particles. Both types of reactions yield similar cross sections for the production of exotic nuclei near 100Sn. The data are discussed in comparison with results obtained from statistical-model calculations.