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Chemosensory (gustatory and olfactory) dysfunction contributes to obesity, but the association between body mass index (BMI) and chemosensory dysfunction are inconsistently reported. The present study included 4,390 subjects at a Smell and Taste Clinic. Results suggested that both the obesity class II group (BMI ≥ 35) and underweight group (BMI < 18.5) exhibited impaired taste function compared with the normal weight group (p <.05). Comparing with the other groups, the obesity class II group exhibited a higher proportion of impaired bitter identification (8.6%), and the underweight group showed a higher proportion of impaired salty identification (7.9%). When investigating differences for individual tastes, subjects with impaired bitter identification had higher BMI (t = 2.79, p =.005) and lower olfactory scores (p <.05) compared with those with intact bitter identification. Finally, reduced taste scores are associated with an increased BMI (r = −.04, p =.022). This correlation becomes more pronounced with age (F = 1.42, p <.001). Practical Application: The nonlinear association between chemosensory dysfunction and BMI suggested that maintaining the gustatory and olfactory function is of significance for normal metabolism. In obesity regulating bitter taste appears to be more important than the other tastes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Susac syndrome (SS) describes an endotheliopathy of vessels in the central nervous system. Retinal involvement plays a central role in the manifestation of the disease., Objective: This case-control study investigated the macular microvasculature in patients with chronic SS compared to controls using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA)., Material and Methods: 12 eyes of 12 patients with SS were compared with age-matched healthy control subjects with regard to their OCT angiographic parameters. The flow density (FD) of different macular layers, foveal avascular zone (FAZ) parameters and central retinal thickness and volume values were compared between the two groups., Results: The FD of the choriocapillaris was reduced in Susac patients compared to healthy controls. The FD values of the superficial and deep capillary plexus of the inner retina, parameters of the FAZ as well as central retinal thickness and volume showed no significant differences between the two groups., Discussion: Treated chronic SS does not appear to significantly affect the vascular and structural composition of the central inner retina; however, differences in the choriocapillaris indicate changes in deeper, highly vascularized capillary layers., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Epiretinal membranes (ERMs) are a common finding in patients with increasing age. Diagnosis and treatment of ERMs have changed dramatically in recent years due to technological advances in ophthalmological care. In recent years, tomographic imaging has allowed for accurate visualization of ERMs and contributed to the growing understanding of the pathophysiology of this condition. The literature review conducted here summarizes recent innovations in diagnosis, classification, and treatment of idiopathic ERMs and specifically addresses novel optical coherence tomography (OCT) biomarkers that allow for the generation of prognoses regarding the clinical postoperative outcome., Competing Interests: Die Autorinnen/Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht./The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)