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Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a complex degenerative multifactorial retinal disease, representing a leading cause of legal blindness among elderly individuals. It is well known that age, family history, smoking, nutrition, and inflammation contribute to the development of AMD. Recent studies support the existence of a gut-retina axis involved in the pathogenesis of several ocular diseases, including AMD. High-fat and high simple sugar diets determine a derangement of the gut microbiota, with an increase of gut permeability and systemic low-grade inflammation. Leaky gut is correlated with higher levels of circulating microbial-associated pattern molecules, which trigger the systemic release of potent proinflammatory mediators and stimulate the specific immune cells of the retina, contributing to retinal damage. All these findings suggest that microbiota is closely related to AMD and that it may be targeted in order to influence AMD pathogenesis and/or its clinical course.

Purpose To evaluate morpho-functional outcomes of the intravitreal fluocinolone acetonide (FAc) implant. Methods Retrospective, observational, single-center study. Primary endpoint was the mean change in central macular thickness (CMT) from baseline to month 1–3. Secondary endpoints included mean CMT change from baseline to month 4–8 and 9–14 and mean best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), photopic negative response (PhNR) and b-wave of flash full-field electroretinogram (ERG) changes from baseline to month 1–3, 4–8, and 9–14. Results Fourteen patients (18 eyes) were included. Mean (standard deviation) CMT decreased from 473 (196) µm at baseline to 371 (163) µm at month 1–3 (mean difference − 102.3 ± 98.35 µm, 95% CI ± 46.4 µm; p

The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule II (WHO-DAS II) is a non-disease-specific International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health-based disability assessment instrument developed to measure activity limitations and restrictions to participation. The aim of this pilot study is to evaluate WHO-DAS II responsiveness in detecting short-time changes following the provision of an Assistive Technology,which is important to define its utility in performing daily activities. Adult inpatients with a diagnosis of Disease of the Nervous System (included in Chapter VI of the ICD-10),who were prescribed an Assistive Technology to be used in the household settings, were enrolled. The WHO-DAS II was administered in individual interview at baseline and at a 2 months follow-up: in this period patients were transitioning from the hospital to home. Changes in disability profiles were detected by calculating the effect size (ES) for each WHO-DAS II domain. Ten patients with different neurological diseases were enrolled. Few longitudinal changes in disability level are reported: mild improvement is observed in the household activities (ES0.28), whereas mild worsening is reported in self-care and participation in society domains (ES – 0.27 and – 0.26,respectively). Our study shows that the WHO-DAS II is responsive in detecting domain-specific changes over a short-term period and provides preliminary encouraging evidence for the utility of its utilization in clinical settings.However, changes in setting between baseline and follow up could have an impact on the findings and interpretation of this study.

To describe the functioning and disability profiles of Italian person with disability (PwD) getting invalidity pension.Adult subjects were selected within the registries of local health agencies that provide invalidity certificates. The International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF) checklist was administered by trained interviewers. Count-based indexes were calculated for each ICF chapter and domain. Descriptive analysis and paired-sample t-test for evaluating differences between capacity and performance indexes in Activities and Participation (AP) were employed.A total of 742 persons were enrolled. Mean age among children and youth (N = 106) was 8.6 years, and among adults (N = 636) was 47.6 years. Most common health conditions are neurological diseases (30.2%), tumors (18.1%) and mental disorders (13.5%). Body Functions and Structures impairments are consistent with sample compositions. In AP, capacity indexes are higher than performance ones, and facilitators are essentially reported among Environmental Factors (EF).ICF-based tools are adequate to capture difficulties in different AP areas, and to estimate EF's effect. In our study, the widest difficulties and the widest impact of EF are reported in areas describing activities of daily living, while areas describing communication, employment and leisure time activities are less problematic but, at the same time, less influenced by EF.

To report and compare functional features of patients with migraine, myasthenia gravis (MG) and Parkinson's disease (PD) with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).Adult patients with migraine, MG and PD were enrolled and the ICF checklist administered. Count-based indexes were calculated for each ICF chapter and domain. Indexes were compared across conditions by means of ANOVA; relationships between ICF domains were evaluated using Spearman's correlation; group based on disability status were defined through cluster analysis and compared with disease groups using chi(2) test. Finally, most prevalent ICF categories were identified.A total of 300 patients were enrolled and specific differences in BF, BS, AP and EF indexes are reported. Spearman's correlations reported moderate relationships between BF and AP indexes, whereas the correlation between AP and EF is lower. Cluster analysis and chi(2) test show that patients with Migraine and MG are more likely to report moderate and low disability, whereas patients with PD are more likely to report moderate or severe disability. A total of 60 ICF relevant categories, mostly from AP, were identified.Our study provided a description of functioning and disability domains in migraine, MG and PD and enabled to report the impact of EF in determining the actual disability experience.