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Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is characterized by a progressive optic neuropathy with visual field loss. To investigate the genetic variants associated with visual field loss in POAG, Japanese POAG patients (n = 426) and control subjects (n = 246) were genotyped for 22 genetic variants predisposing to POAG that can be classified into those associated with intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation (IOP-related genetic variants) and optic nerve vulnerability independent of IOP (optic nerve-related genetic variants). The genetic risk score (GRS) of the 17 IOP-related and five optic nerve-related genetic variants was calculated, and the associations between the GRS and the mean deviation (MD) of automated static perimetry as an indicator of the severity of visual field loss and pattern standard deviation (PSD) as an indicator of the focal disturbance were evaluated. There was a significant association (Beta = − 0.51, P = 0.0012) between the IOP-related GRS and MD. The severity of visual field loss may depend on the magnitude of IOP elevation induced by additive effects of IOP-related genetic variants. A significant association (n = 135, Beta = 0.65, P = 0.0097) was found between the optic nerve-related, but not IOP-related, GRS and PSD. The optic nerve-related (optic nerve vulnerability) and IOP-related (IOP elevation) genetic variants may play an important role in the focal and diffuse visual field loss respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first report to show an association between additive effects of genetic variants predisposing to POAG and glaucomatous visual field loss, including severity and focal/diffuse disturbance of visual field loss, in POAG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The patterns of uveitis in Tokyo have recently changed due to advances in examination tools. We aimed to investigate the changes in the patterns of uveitis between 2004–2015 and 2016–2018. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 732 patients who visited the Uveitis Clinic at the University of Tokyo Hospital between January 2016 and December 2018. Background characteristics, laboratory results, and imaging findings were analysed. We compared the incidences of uveitis in 2016–2018 and 2004–2015 to identify changes in the patterns. Results: The most frequent diagnoses were sarcoidosis (8.9%), herpetic iridocyclitis (6.7%), intraocular lymphoma (5.5%), Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada disease (4.8%), unclassified acute anterior uveitis (4.6%), Behçet's disease (4.5%), bacterial endophthalmitis (2.9%), and Posner-Schlossman syndrome (2.6%). Suspected sarcoidosis (20.9%) was the most common cause of unclassified uveitis. The incidence of intraocular lymphoma was significantly higher in 2016–2018 than in 2004–2015. Between 2004 and 2018, herpetic iridocyclitis, bacterial endophthalmitis, and juvenile chronic iridocyclitis exhibited an increasing trend, and the incidences of Posner-Schlossman syndrome, unclassified acute anterior uveitis, Behçet's disease, and Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada disease exhibited a decreasing trend. Conclusion: The changing patterns of uveitis were characterised by increases in the incidence of intraocular lymphoma. This may be attributed to recent advances in examination tools, the changes in the referred patient population, and the aging Japanese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Retinal vasculitis and occlusive changes are important signs of posterior uveitis and are possible diagnostic markers for uveitis. However, the frequency of arteritis and phlebitis in various uveitis entities, including infectious uveitis (IU) and non-infectious uveitis (NIU), have not been systematically investigated. Study design: Retrospective. Methods: We investigated the frequency of retinal vascular inflammatory and occlusive changes in patients with IU and NIU. The study included 283 patients with intermediate, posterior, or pan-uveitis who were diagnosed with IU (presumed tuberculous uveitis, acute retinal necrosis, cytomegalovirus retinitis, human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1-associated uveitis, toxoplasmic retinitis, syphilitic uveitis, rubella virus-associated uveitis, fungal endophthalmitis, and bacterial endophthalmitis) or NIU (sarcoidosis, Behçet's disease, Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease, human leukocyte antigen-B27-associated uveitis, systemic lupus erythematosus retinopathy, psoriatic uveitis, rheumatoid arthritis/collagen disease-associated uveitis, multiple sclerosis-associated uveitis, and sympathetic ophthalmia). All patients underwent fluorescein angiography (FA) and color photography examinations of the fundus. Presence of inflammatory and occlusive changes was determined by FA images. Results: Significantly higher positive ratios of phlebitis, vein sheathing, vein occlusion, arteritis, artery sheathing, artery occlusion, and avascular areas were observed in the IU group than in the NIU group (p < 0.05). Notably, the discrepancy between IU and NIU was prominent with regard to retinal arterial changes (arteritis [57.9% vs 11.2%], inflammatory artery sheathing [33.7% vs 0%], and artery occlusion [22.1% vs 3.7%], respectively; p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Findings of vasculitis and occlusion, especially in retinal arteries, in FA strongly suggest an infectious origin of active uveitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the clinical characteristics of Japanese patients with scleritisStudy design: Retrospective studyMethods: The clinical records of 123 patients with scleritis, who presented to the University of Tokyo Hospital between January, 2004 and December, 2015, were retrospectively reviewed.Results: The cohort comprised 55 men and 68 women (mean age, 57.8±16.4 years), of which 76 showed anterior diffuse scleritis, 17 showed anterior nodular scleritis, 10 showed anterior necrotizing scleritis, and 20 showed posterior scleritis. The underlying etiology was identified in 39 patients. Autoimmune diseases were present in 32 patients, including eight with rheumatoid arthritis, seven with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vascular disease, and six with relapsing polychondritis. Ocular hypertension was the most common ocular complication (41%), followed by anterior chamber cells (38%). Fifty-three percent of patients required systemic immunosuppressive medication. Systemic corticosteroids were the most commonly used medication (45%), followed by methotrexate (11%). A, decrease in vision was observed in one-third of patients with anterior necrotizing scleritis or posterior scleritis, of which secondary glaucoma and optic neuritis were the major causes.Conclusion: Autoimmune diseases were present in 26% of patients. One-third of patients with anterior necrotizing scleritis or posterior scleritis experienced decreased vision, mostly due to secondary glaucoma and optic neuritis. Therefore, controlling intraocular pressure by methods such as administration of steroid-sparing immunosuppressive medication and appropriate treatment for posterior scleritis are essential for scleritis treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the clinical features of psoriatic uveitis in Japanese patients. Methods: Clinical features of 13 consecutive patients with psoriatic uveitis treated at our facility were retrospectively examined using medical records. In this study, we collected data about psoriasis type, uveitis laterality, onset type, HLA types, visual acuity, ocular inflammation localization, anterior segment findings, funduscopy findings, complications, recurrence, and medical treatments for uveitis and skin diseases. Results: The cohort comprised ten males and three females (43.6 ± 7.1 years old), and types of psoriasis included psoriasis vulgaris (seven cases), psoriatic arthritis (four cases), pustular psoriasis (three cases) and psoriatic erythroderma (one case). Two cases represented complicated cases of pustular psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Seven cases were unilateral, and six cases were bilateral. All cases had acute non-granulomatous anterior uveitis, whereas panuveitis occurred in one case. Furthermore, macular edema and vascular leakage on fluorescein angiography occurred in four cases, and hyperemic disc occurred in two cases. Recurrence occurred in nine cases. In addition to topical corticosteroid treatment, eight cases underwent oral immunosuppressive treatment or biologics. All six cases undergoing HLA typing were HLA-A2 positive. Conclusions: Cases of psoriatic uveitis in Japan appear to present with acute non-granulomatous uveitis; other symptoms may include macular edema, retinal vasculitis, or hyperemic disc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glaucoma is a neurodegenerative disease and one of the leading causes of irreversible blindness, affecting over 60 million people worldwide. At the present time, glaucoma is clinically defined, but the exact etiology is unknown. Genetic studies are one approach to identify the molecules and pathways involved in disease pathogenesis. Familial aggregation of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) has long been recognized, and the analysis of POAG families with a Mendelian inheritance form of this disease has been employed to identify multiple loci linked to them. Some causative genes, such as myocilin, optineurin and WD repeat domain 36, have been identified. However, most cases of POAG are considered to be a prevalent, multifactorial disorder. Several association studies have been conducted for candidate genes, and genome-wide association studies recently identified new susceptibility loci for POAG, namely, S1 RNA binding domain 1 region on chromosome 2p21, the caveolin 1 and caveolin 2 regions on 7q31, transmembrane and coiled-coil domain 1 region on 1q24, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2B antisense RNA on 9p21, the SIX1 and SIX6 regions on 14q24 and, possibly, the regulatory region of 8q22. Further analysis of clinical manifestations caused by specific genes and functional analysis of these genes will contribute to the development of new strategies for the diagnosis and treatment of POAG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: It has been suggested that Sairei-to (TJ114), a traditional Japanese herbal medicine, has immunomodulatory activities. To evaluate the effects of TJ114 on uveitis, we examined the effectiveness of oral administration in a murine model of experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU). Methods: Murine EAU was induced by subcutaneous injection of human inter-photoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP) peptide mixed with complete Freund’s adjuvant. In the TJ114-treated group, 2 g/kg was administrated orally from 0 to 20 days after immunization. Clinical scoring, histopathological scoring of EAU, cell proliferation, cytokine assessment, and adoptive transfer experiment of splenic T cells into naïve mice were performed. Results: EAU development occurred in 32 of 38 mice (86 %) in the untreated group and 12 of 33 (36 %) in the TJ114-treated group. The clinical scores for EAU in the vehicle-treated and TJ114-treated groups were 1.56 ± 1.65 and 0.59 ± 0.63 respectively, at 14 days after immunization ( p < 0.01, Mann–Whitney U-test), and 2.26 ± 1.56 and 0.75 ± 1.31 respectively at 21 days ( p < 0.001, Mann–Whitney U-test), while the histopathological scores at 21 days were 1.47 ± 1.42 and 0.54 ± 0.84 respectively ( p < 0.01, Mann–Whitney U-test). Interferon (IFN)-γ and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α production by cervical lymph node cells obtained from the TJ114-treated group were significantly reduced as compared with those from the vehicle-treated group ( p < 0.01, Student’s unpaired t-test). Moreover, the levels of C-C motif chemokine 2 (CCL2) and IFN-γ were significantly reduced in splenocytes of TJ114-treated mice as compared with the vehicle-treated group ( p < 0.01, Student’s unpaired t-test). Mice that received adoptive transfer of splenic T cells from TJ114-treated EAU mice caused significantly lower severity of EAU compared to those that received from vehicle-treated EAU mice. Conclusion: Oral administration of TJ114 has an inhibitory effect on a murine model of EAU, possibly via reduction in cytokine production by helper type-1 T cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To examine the factors affecting the efficacy of infliximab (IFX) as a treatment for uveitis in Behçet's disease. Methods: Clinical records of 29 patients with refractory uveoretinitis were examined retrospectively for the period between 6 months before the initiation of IFX therapy to 12 months thereafter. The patients were divided into two groups based on the absence (Group 1) or occurrence (Group 2) of ocular inflammatory attacks during the observation period after IFX therapy, and the clinical records of the groups were compared Results: The mean age at onset of ocular inflammation in Group 1 patients ( n = 17) was lower than that in Group 2 patients ( n = 12) ( p = 0.023). Compared to Group 2 patients, the period from onset to IFX therapy in Group 1 was longer ( p = 0.037), and the frequency of ocular inflammatory attacks before IFX therapy was lower ( p = 0.013). The rates of ocular fundus attacks before IFX therapy were 0.82 ± 0.28 in Group 1 and 0.96 ± 0.10 in Group 2 ( p = 0.040). Three of 33 (9.1 %) eyes in Group 1 and nine of 24 eyes (37.5 %) in Group 2 had an improved best-corrected visual acuity of >0.2 logarithm of the minimal angle resolution ( p < 0.01). Conclusions: Patients in Group 1 tended to have fewer intraocular attacks (fewer fundus attacks in particular) prior to IFX therapy and have a longer period from onset of intraocular inflammation to IFX therapy. The improvement of the BCVA in Group 2 tended to be better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent publications have suggested considerable improvements in the clinical outcomes of ocular Behcet’s disease (BD) patients. However, the long-term time course of clinical ocular features of BD in recent cases remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigated annual time-course changes of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) during ocular convalescent stages, as well as annual frequency of ocular attacks during the initial 10 years of follow-up in patients with BD. We studied 75 eyes in 39 patients (31 men, eight women) with BD, who were referred to our hospital between 1980 and 1996 within 1 year after the initial ocular attack and followed them up continuously for more than 10 years. The clinical courses of BCVA at the ocular convalescent stage from the onset of ocular disease were retrospectively examined, and the numbers of ocular attacks per eye per year were determined. Mean BCVA was 0.59 at 1 year, 0.31 at 3 years, and 0.12 at 10 years from the onset of ocular disease, while the numbers of ocular attacks per eye were 4.1 ± 3.1 at 1 year, 2.2 ± 1.9 at 5 years, and 1.4 ± 1.8 at 10 years. Ocular attacks were still observed in 33 eyes (45%) of 21 patients (54%) with BD even after 10 years. Final BCVA in 42 eyes (56%) became lower than 0.5. The major reasons for poor visual prognosis were macular atrophy (41%) and chorioretinal atrophy (26%). The decline of BVCA continued, and nearly half the patients still suffered from ocular attacks at 10 years after the onset of ocular BD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]