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Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the presence of choroidal vascular parameters, which have a predictive value for diabetic macular edema (DME) development, in eyes with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR). Methods: 148 eyes of 120 patients were included in the study. Eyes with an untreated mild-to-moderate NPDR stage were divided into 2 groups as those with and without DME. The diabetic retinopathy (DR) group was created from the eyes of patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus without DR. Choroidal layers were segmented using the enhanced depth imag- ing mode of spectral domain optical coherence tomography. Choroidal vascular indexes (CVI) of the full-thickness choroid, sattler-choriocapillaris layer, and Haller's layer were calculated separately. Results: Full-thickness CVI values of the choroid were 65.2±3.1% in the DR-group, 64.2±3.4% in the DME-group, and 64.8±3.08% in the DME+ group (P = 0.318). The CVI values in the Sattler-choriocapillaris complex were 71.3±4.5% in the DR- group, 70.9±5.9% in the DME-group, and 71.7±5.2% in the DME+ group (P = 0.746). The CVI values in the Haller layer were 61.6±4.1% in the DR-group, 60.3±3.7% in the DME-group, and 61.1±3.1% in the DME+ group (P = 0.252). Conclusion: There was no significant difference between NPDR eyes with and without DME and eyes without DR in terms of CVI. These results may suggest that DME develops due to retinal vascular factors rather than choroidal vascular factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immunological dysfunction has been suggested to play a major role in the pathogenesis of idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM). We recently showed that ozone therapy was effective in patients with steroid‐resistant IGM. This study assessed alterations in intracellular cytokine expression patterns in different T‐lymphocyte subsets after ozone therapy in refractory IGM. Peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets (CD8+, CD4+, CD4+CD25+CD127−) were analyzed via flow‐cytometry for intracellular cytokine expressions IFN‐γ, TNF‐α, IL‐10, and TGF‐β before and after completion of 4‐month systemic ozone therapy. Ozone therapy significantly increased the CD4+IFN‐γ+ (p = 0.032), CD4+TNF‐α+ (p = 0.028), and the CD8+TNF‐α+ (p = 0.012) T cells. In contrast, significant decreases in CD4+ IL‐10+ (p = 0.047) and CD8+IL‐10+ T cells (p = 0.022) and CD4+CD25+CD127−//low Treg cells secreting TGF‐β (p = 0.005) were found after ozone therapy. When patients were analyzed according to the response to ozone therapy, patients with a complete remission were more likely to have increased CD3−CD16+CD56+ natural killer cells (p = 0.0027) and decreased CD19+ B lymphocytes (p = 0.046) following ozone therapy. Our results suggest that ozone therapy stimulated a T‐helper‐1 response associated with IFN‐γ production and downregulation of TGF‐β expression in CD4+CD25+CD127− Treg cells. These alterations in the immune system following ozone therapy can improve wound healing and restore immune dysfunction in patients with refractory IGM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Firstly, to compare the choroidal thickness using optical coherence tomography (OCT) between diabetic macular edema (DME) patients who received intravitreal bevacizumab, ranibizumab and dexamethasone implant injection and a age-matched healthy group. Secondly, to investigate the relationship between diabetic choroidopathy and diabetic nephropathy, neuropathy, HbA1c levels and metabolic conditions in these patients undergoing intravitreal injection therapy. Materials and Methods: Total 72 (52 males, 20 females) DME patients and 60 (44 males, 16 females) healthy control participants were included in this retrospective, cross-sectional, and comparative study. Results: The baseline choroidal thickness (ChT) in patients with DME was thinner than in the control group. When the relationship between changes in central macular thickness and mean macular thickness values and age, gender, disease duration, mean arterial pressure, body mass index (BMI), LDL level, and HbA1c values were examined, no significant relationship was observed (p>0.05 for all). There was a significant inverse correlation between BMI and initial average ChT (p:0.027). There was also a positive correlation between LDL levels and choroidal thickness (0.007). In the comparison between ChTs according to the presence of microalbuminuria, last subfoveal ChT was observed to be thinner in presence of microalbuminuria (p: 0.038). In the comparison between ChTs of patients with and without neuropathy, the average last nasal ChT was higher in patients with diabetic neuropathy (p: 0.025). There was no significant relationship between HbA1c levels and choroid thicknesses. Conclusions: The choroidal thinning in this study may be a sign of diabetic choroidopathy-induced choroid ischemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We aimed to investigate retinal thickness data in these patients with non-refractory pseudophakic cystoid macular edema. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients with non-persistent pseudophakic cystoid macular edema who responded to topical therapy plus follow-up within 3 months between January 2018 and October 2020. Age, gender, anterior and posterior segment findings, intraocular pressures, refractive errors and axial lengths of the patients were recorded. Macular layers, volumes and ganglion cell analysis were examined by optical coherence tomography. The distance between the inner limiting membrane and the outer limiting membrane was measured in the inner retinal layer, and it was recorded as M1. Results: The mean age was 71.33±7.12 in the patients included. Baseline visual acuity was 0.48±0.23 in logMAR in the patient group, while final visual acuity was 0.1±0.096 in logMAR. Average recovery time was 2 months (1-3 months). When the patient and healthy eyes were compared, significant thinning was found in 9 quadrants according to the ETDRS, inner retinal layer (M1), foveal thickness. A strong positive correlation was found between post-treatment vision levels and M1 measurements of eyes with PCME. (p= 0.000) Conclusion: It should be kept in mind that even if vision is restored in non-resistant cystoid macular edema, it may cause atrophy in the retinal layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate whether anterior segment parameters (ASPs) differ between patients with Graves’s ophthalmopathy (GO) and healthy individuals. Materials and Methods: In a case-control study, 62 patients with GO and 45 healthy sex- and age-matched individuals were compared for ASPs obtained from Scheimpflug camera imaging (Sirius, Florence, Italy). The ASPs were anterior chamber depth (ACD), anterior chamber volume (ACV), iridocorneal angle (ICA), corneal volume, corneal curvatures (K1, K2, and Kmean), and white-to-white, apical, and thinnest corneal thickness. Results: Mean white-to-white corneal distance, corneal volume, ACD, ACV, ICA, K1, K2, and Kmean were similar between patients and controls (p = 0.815, p = 0.285, p = 0.522, p = 0.102, p = 0.275, p = 0.114, p = 0.566, p = 0.137, p = 0.405, and p = 0.447, respectively). There was a negative correlation between mean Hertel measurement and mean ACD (r = - 0.284, p = 0.003), ACV (r = - 0.283, p = 0.003), and ICA (r = - 0.295, p = 0.002). Conclusion: The ASPs were not associated with significant alterations between patients with GO and controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate changes in macular thickness, ganglion cell inner plexiform and choroid layer of long term Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infected patients by optical coherence tomography (OCT) who treated with antiretroviral therapy. Matherials and Methods: The study included 50 HIV cases receiving antiretroviral therapy and 50 control groups. Best corrected visual acuity, anterior and posterior segment examinations were performed in both groups. Macula, optic disc and choroid layer measurements were performed with OCT device. Results: The number of males / females in the HIV group is 37/13 and the average age is 42.7 ± 8.3 years, the number of males / females in the control group is 35/15 and the average age is 42.8 ± 8.1 years. No statistically significant difference was found in terms of age and gender in both groups(P = 0.96, P = 0.76 respectively). Avarage choroidal thickness is 267.5 ± 33.1μ in HIV group and 283.3 ± 24.8 μ in control group.(P=0.008) Average macular thickness is 299.8 ± 12.1 μ in HIV group and 316.1 ± 14.4 μ in control group.(P = 0.001) Retinal nerve fiber thickness is 102.9 ± 10.1 μ in the HIV group and 106.2 ±13.7 μ in the control group.(P = 0.173) Conclusion: HIV patients who received treatment developed thinning in inner retinal layers and choroid layer over time compared to healthy individuals. It suggests that viral particles have degenerative effects on retinal cells by triggering autoimmune reactions. This situation has negative trophic effect on other layers and causes thinning in the macula and choroid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between optical coherence tomography (OCT) and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) parameters in a healthy population and to detect any changes that occur with age. Methods: A total of 100 healthy participants were included in this prospective, observational, and comparative study. The participants were categorized in 4 groups according to age: Group 1: 21-30 years, Group 2: 31-40 years, Group 3: 41-50 years, Group 4: 51-60 years of age. Mean macular thickness, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), ganglion cell inner plexiform layer (GC-IPL), and the choroidal thickness (ChT), vessel density (VD), perfusion density (PD), foveal avascular zone (FAZ), and parapapillary perfusion density parameters were recorded and analyzed. Results: In comparisons between groups, no significant difference in OCTA parameters was observed. There were inverse correlations between the outer VD, PD, and intraocular pressure (IOP) (r= -0.307, p=0.006 and r= -0.284, p=0.011, respectively). The correlation between parapapillary perfusion density and IOP was close to being significant (r= -0.213, p=0.059). There were significant relationships between OCTA parameters and macular, RNFL, and GC-IPL thickness. No significant relationship between ChT and OCTA parameters was seen. Conclusion: The size and characteristics of superficial VD, PD, parapapillary perfusion density, and FAZ were determined in a population with standardized demographic and ocular clinical features, and the relationship between these parameters and retinal layers was established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Autoimmunity may play a major role in the pathogenesis of idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM). The therapeutic potential of ozone therapy has recently been shown in rheumatological diseases, and this study aimed to assess the clinical efficacy of ozone therapy (OT) in refractory IGM., Methods: Patients with biopsy-verified IGM and incomplete response after steroid therapy ( n  = 47) between 2018 and 2021 were enrolled. Of these, 23 cases in cohort A had standard treatment with further steroid therapy (ST), and 24 were treated with systemic OT via autohemotherapy (AHT) in addition to steroid therapy (cohort B)., Results: The median age was 33 years (range, 24-45). Patients in cohort B had a higher complete response rate after completion of a four-month ozone therapy than those in the ST-group (OT-group, 37.5% vs. ST-group, 0%; p  = 0.002). At a median follow-up of 12 months (range, 12-35), the patients treated with OT had a lower one-year recurrence in the affected breast than cases in cohort A treated with ST (OT-group, 21% vs. ST-group, 70%; p  = 0.001). No significant side effects were observed in patients in cohort B related to AHT. Furthermore, OT significantly decreased the total steroid treatment duration (median week of steroid use; 26  weeks in cohort A vs. 12 weeks in cohort B; p  = 0.001)., Conclusion: Systemic OT increases the complete response rate and decreases the duration of steroid treatment in patients with refractory IGM. Therefore, ozone therapy is an effective, well-tolerated, and safe novel complementary therapeutic modality., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Cabioglu, Trabulus, Emiroglu, Ozkurt, Yalcin, Dinc, Tukenmez, Muslumanoglu, Igci, Ozmen, Dinccag and Guven.)