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Background: To analyze the concentration of aqueous humor (AH) cytokines in eyes with idiopathic epiretinal membrane (iERM) and to investigate their potential correlation with disease severity. Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional case-control institutional study. A total of 16 eyes of 16 iERM patients and 14 eyes of 14 age-matched healthy controls were enrolled. AH samples were analyzed for various biomarkers using a glass-chip protein array. Cytokines associated with inflammation, fibrosis, angiogenesis, and glial signal transduction were quantified. Results: Significant differences in cytokine concentration were observed between the iERM group and controls, with 19 cytokines elevated in the iERM group (among them IL-6, IL-8, PDGF-AB, PDGF-BB, TGFB-1, TGFB-2, TGFB-3, VEGF A, VEGF C, VEGF D, p < 0,05, 95% confidence interval). Correlation analysis revealed associations between cytokine levels and iERM severity. Notably, stages 2, 3, and 4 of iERM demonstrated increased levels of various biomarkers. Conclusions: This study provides insights into the complex molecular interactions underlying iERM pathogenesis, describing a correlation between neuroinflammation and iERM severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess outer retinal layer (ORL), retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), choroid (Ch) and choriocapillaris (CC) modifications in adolescents with long-lasting (>10 years) type 1 diabetes (T1D) without (noDR) or with diabetic retinopathy (DR). ORL and RPE thickness were measured at optical coherence tomography (OCT) macular scans. Vascular parameters of Ch and CC were quantified after elaboration of macular OCT-angiography (OCTA) images. Insulin dose and auxological and metabolic parameters were correlated with OCT and OCTA findings in patients. ORL thickness was higher in DR eyes than in noDR and healthy controls (HC), and RPE thickness was higher in noDR and DR eyes than in HC, with statistical significance for some sectors in noDR versus HC. No OCTA parameters of CC and Ch differed among groups, and no significant correlation was observed with auxological and metabolic parameters. In conclusion, ORL and RPE were both increased in adolescents with long-lasting T1D. Such changes were not associated with insulin dose and glycemia control, nor to any choroid or choriocapillaris flow change clinically detectable at OCTA, and they could be potential imaging biomarkers of disease progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To evaluate, by means of optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA), early retinal, choroidal and macular perfusion changes induced by a local inflammatory reaction secondary to uncomplicated cataract surgery. Methods Selected eyes undergoing cataract surgery were enrolled in a prospective study. OCT and OCTA were performed before cataract surgery (T0) and at day: 1 (T1), 7 (T7), 30 (T30) and 90 (T90). Inner (IR) and outer retinal (OR) volumes, choroidal volume, hyper-reflective retinal spots (HRS) in IR and OR changes were measured at OCT. Macular perfusion was analysed in superficial (SCP), intermediate (ICP) and deep retinal capillary plexuses (DCP). Results Nine eyes of nine selected patients were consecutively enrolled. Mean IR volume changed after surgery (p=0.0001), increasing progressively from 4.391±0.231 mm³ at T0 to 4.573±0.241 mm³ at T30, p=0.0002. Both mean OR and choroidal volume increased, mainly at T30, but not significantly (p=0.4360 and p=0.2300, respectively). Mean HRS changed during follow-up, increasing at first in IR and later in OR (at T1 and T7, respectively, both p<0.0001). Macular ICP and DCP perfusion increased at T1, whereas macular SCP perfusion did not change. At T90, all OCT and OCTA parameters had almost reached baseline levels. Conclusions The increase of HRS at first in IR and later in OR seems to confirm their inflammatory nature. Early OCTA changes (underline) underscore a selective susceptibility of DCP and ICP to a localised inflammatory reaction induced by cataract surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To evaluate changes of specific retinal imaging biomarkers [intraretinal hyper-reflective retinal spots: HRS ; subfoveal neuroretinal detachment: SND; and increased foveal autofluorescence: IFAF after intravitreal steroid or anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment in diabetic macular oedema ( DME)] as possible indicators of retinal inflammatory condition. Methods Retrospective analysis of images and clinical charts of 49 eyes (49 patients) with DME treated with intravitreal dexamethasone (dexamethasone, 23 eyes) or intravitreal ranibizumab (ranibizumab, 26 eyes). All patients had fundus colour photograph, spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD OCT) and fundus autofluorescence ( FAF), best-corrected visual acuity ( BCVA) and microperimetry recorded before and 1 month after the end of treatment. Central macular thickness ( CMT), number of HRS and presence of SND were evaluated by SD OCT. Fundus autofluorescence images were evaluated for area of ( IFAF). Retinal sensitivity within 4° and 12° from fovea was quantified by microperimetry. Changes in morphologic and functional parameters were assessed, and correlation was performed by Pearson's correlation. Results Best-corrected visual acuity and CMT improved in all patients, (p < 0.05, for both groups). Mean number of HRS decreased after both treatments (p < 0.0001). Subfoveal neuroretinal detachment resolved in 85.7% dexamethasone-treated eyes (p = 0.014) and in 50% ranibizumab-treated eyes (p = 0.025). Mean IFAF area decreased in both groups, (p < 0.0001, for both). A significantly higher decrease in CMT was observed in dexamethasone- versus ranibizumab-treated eyes, (p = 0.032). In dexamethasone group, higher number of HRS at baseline and larger IFAF were correlated with higher increase in retinal sensitivity; eyes with SND at baseline had major decrease in CMT versus those without SND, (p = 0.003). Conclusion Higher number of HRS, larger area of IFAF and presence of SND may indicate a prevalent inflammatory condition in DME with specific response to targeted treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The in vivo optical coherence tomography analysis of the biomarkers of retinal microglia and macroglia in Von Hippel–Lindau disease represents an innovative field of research. The different behavior of these glial cells in Von Hippel–Lindau patients provides new data regarding the pathophysiology of retinal hemangioblastoma, the most common ocular manifestation of this hereditary disorder. Moreover, these biomarkers show a different behavior in Von Hippel–Lindau patients in relation to the presence or absence of retinal hemangioblastoma. Therefore, we can hypothesize that retinal hemangioblastoma is mainly due to the activation of macroglia by previously activated microglial cells. Background: Von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) disease is a neoplastic syndrome caused by a mutation of the VHL tumor suppressor gene. Retinal hemangioblastoma (RH) is a vascularized tumor and represents the most common ocular manifestation of this disease. At the retinal level, VHL protein is able to regulate tumor growth, angiogenic factors, and neuroinflammation, probably stimulating retinal glial cells. The aim of the present study was to analyze in vivo the optical coherence tomography (OCT) biomarkers of retinal macroglia and microglia in a cohort of VHL patients. Methods: The mean thicknesses of macular retinal nerve fiber layer (mRNFL), ganglion cell layer (GCL), and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) were measured with OCT as biomarkers of retinal macroglia. OCT images were also analyzed to detect and quantify hyperreflective retinal foci (HRF), a biomarker of retinal activated microglia. Results: 61 eyes of 61 VHL patients (22 eyes (36.07%) with peripheral RH and 39 eyes (63.93%) without RH) and 28 eyes of 28 controls were evaluated. pRNFL was thinner in VHL patients (p < 0.05) and in VHL without RH (p < 0.01) compared to controls, and thicker in VHL patients with RH than in those without RH (p < 0.05). The thickness of mRNFL (p < 0.0001) and GCL (p < 0.05) was reduced in VHL patients and in VHL without RH compared to controls, whereas mRNFL (p < 0.0001) and GCL (p < 0.05) were increased in VHL patients with RH compared to those without RH. HRF were significantly higher in number in VHL patients and in VHL without RH, than in controls, and significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the eyes of VHL patients with RH, than in those without RH. Conclusions: The OCT analysis, which detects and allows to quantify the biomarkers of retinal microglia (HRF) and macroglia (pRNFL, mRNFL and GCL), showed a different behavior of these two retinal glial cells populations in VHL patients, related to the presence or absence of peripheral RH. These data allow to hypothesize a novel pathophysiologic pathway of retinal hemangioblastoma in VHL disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess outer retinal layer (ORL), retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), choroid (Ch) and choriocapillaris (CC) modifications in adolescents with long-lasting (>10 years) type 1 diabetes (T1D) without (noDR) or with diabetic retinopathy (DR). ORL and RPE thickness were measured at optical coherence tomography (OCT) macular scans. Vascular parameters of Ch and CC were quantified after elaboration of macular OCT-angiography (OCTA) images. Insulin dose and auxological and metabolic parameters were correlated with OCT and OCTA findings in patients. ORL thickness was higher in DR eyes than in noDR and healthy controls (HC), and RPE thickness was higher in noDR and DR eyes than in HC, with statistical significance for some sectors in noDR versus HC. No OCTA parameters of CC and Ch differed among groups, and no significant correlation was observed with auxological and metabolic parameters. In conclusion, ORL and RPE were both increased in adolescents with long-lasting T1D. Such changes were not associated with insulin dose and glycemia control, nor to any choroid or choriocapillaris flow change clinically detectable at OCTA, and they could be potential imaging biomarkers of disease progression.