Polona Zaletel Benda

Ljubljana University Medical Centre

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Ksenija Cankar

University of Ljubljana

Tina Virtič

University of Maribor

ŽM

Živa Melik

University of Ljubljana

Ana Uršula Gavrić

Ljubljana University Medical Centre

Anila Lumi

Ljubljana University Medical Centre

Xhevat Lumi

Ljubljana University Medical Centre

Katja Matović

Ljubljana University Medical Centre

Polona Jaki Mekjavić

Ljubljana University Medical Centre

Katarina Vergot

Ljubljana University Medical Centre

Bor Vratanar

University of Ljubljana

Cooperative Institutions

University of Ljubljana

Ljubljana University Medical Centre

Očesna Klinika UKC Ljubljana

University of Oslo

Oslo University Hospital

Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Physiology

Institute of Oncology Ljubljana

Weatherford College

Community Health Centre Ljubljana

University of Split

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P99 THE EFFECT OF L-ARGININE ON THE VASCULAR FUNCTION IN HEALTHY TRAINED AND SEDENTARY SUBJECTS

Artery Research (2017)

Ksenija Cankar Tina Virtič Polona Zaletel Benda Živa Melik

10.1016/j.artres.2017.10.135

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Case Series of Vancomycin-Associated Hemorrhagic Occlusive Retinal Vasculitis

Ophthalmic surgery, lasers & imaging retina (2024)

Ana Uršula Gavrić Katja Matović Polona Zaletel Benda Manca Tekavčič Pompe Pia Klobučar

Occlusive

Retinal vasculitis

10.3928/23258160-20240207-02

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Outcome of 5-Year Treatment of Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration With Intravitreal Anti-VEGF Using “Treat and Extend” Regimen

Frontiers in Medicine (2018)

Polona Jaki Mekjavić Polona Zaletel Benda

The aim of this study is twofold. First, to evaluate the long-term outcome of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) treatment in a clinical setting using the "treat-and-extend regimen" (TER) in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Second, to determine the proportion of patients treated with anti-VEGF with good visual acuity (VA), i.e., vision sufficient to maintain a high level of independence.We conducted a single center retrospective review of patients with treatment-naive nAMD who were treated with anti-VEGF. Patients were treated with anti-VEGF intravitreal injections according to the TER. Patients started treatment with monthly injections of either bevacizumab (1.25 mg/0.05 mL) or ranibizumab (0.5 mg/0.05 mL) until there were no signs present of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) activity. CNV activity was determined from fundus examination and SD-OCT imaging. Follow-up administration of intravitreal injections was extended by 2-week intervals, up to a total of 14 weeks, provided no signs of CNV activity were detected. In some patients, the first treatment was replaced with aflibercept (2 mg/0.05 mL).On the basis of the inclusion criterion for the study, that patients had to be treated for 5 years, a total of 101 patients were included in the study. In all patients, one eye was treated for a 5-year period, and thus we studied 101 eyes.Best corrected VA was analyzed at baseline and each year during the 5-year follow-up.VA improved initially after year 1 of the treatment. VA decreased in the subsequent 4 years of treatment, but remained significantly higher from year 1 to year 3 of the treatment compared to baseline values. Patients with good VA followed a similar trend: the proportion increased in the first year, and thereafter gradually decreased during the course of the 5-year follow up. At year 5, the number of patients with good VA decreased to baseline values.TER with anti-VEGF for nAMD treatment prevents long-term severe visual loss in real-world setting and maintains patients' VA at levels sufficient to ensure independence.

Aflibercept

Regimen

Fundus (uterus)

Pro re nata

10.3389/fmed.2018.00125

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Rezultati vitrektomije pri bolnikih z regmatogenim odstopom mrežnice

Slovenian Medical Journal (2022)

Polona Zaletel Benda Katarina Vergot Anila Lumi Xhevat Lumi

Izhodišča: Ovrednotili smo anatomski in funkcionalni izid zdravljenja kompleksnega regmatogenega odstopa mrežnice z vitrektomijo pars plana (PPV). Metode: V retrospektivno raziskavo smo vključili 88 oči 88 bolnikov, ki so bili zaradi kompleksnega regmatogenega odstopa mrežnice zdravljeni s PPV. Določili smo anatomski uspeh in funkcionalni izid na podlagi korigirane vidne ostrine (VO) v celotni skupini bolnikov in v skupinah glede na status očesne leče, rumene pege in prisotnosti proliferativne vitreoretinopatije (PVR) stopnje ≥ C1. Z optično koherenčno tomografijo (OCT) rumene pege smo vsaj 6 mesecev po PPV ovrednotili prisotnost prekinitev elipsoidne cone, cistoidnega makularnega edema (CME), epiretinalne membrane (ERM) ali makularne luknje. Rezultati: Anatomski uspeh je bil po primarni PPV 93,2 %. Končni anatomski uspeh je bil dosežen pri vseh 88 bolnikih (100 %). Korigirana VO se je statistično značilno izboljšala iz VO 1,7 ± 1,2 SD logMAR pred operacijo na VO 0,6 ± 0,7 SD logMAR po operaciji (p=0,01). Med skupinama bolnikov je glede na prisotnost PVR izstopal slabši anatomski izid v skupini s PVR stopnje ≥ C1 (89,7 %). Korigirana VO se je po operaciji izboljšala pri vseh skupinah bolnikov, vendar po analizi glede na skupine statistično značilno le v skupini fakih (p=0,019), z odstopom rumene pege, (p=0,016) in s prisotnim PVR stopnje ≥ C1 (p=0,028). Končna VO je bila boljša v skupini psevdofakih (0,75 ± 1,06), v skupini bolnikov z ležečo rumeno pego (0,78 ± 1,30) in pri bolnikih brez PVR (0,80 ± 1,15 logMAR). Analiza OCT rumene pege po operaciji je pokazala prisotnost prekinitev elipsoidne cone v 39 %, CME v 15 %, ERM v 2 % in makularne luknje v 2 %. Primerjava spremenljivk OCT glede na skupine na podlagi statusa očesne leče, rumene pege in prisotnosti PVR stopnje ≥ C1 je pokazala največji delež prekinitev elipsoidne cone v skupini oči s prisotnim PVR stopnje ≥ C1 (58,6 %). Zaključek: Ugotovili smo visoko stopnjo anatomske in funkcionalne uspešnosti zdravljenja kompleksnega regmatogenega odstopa mrežnice z vitrektomijo. Funkcionalni izid je bil boljši pri bolnikih z umetno znotrajočesno lečo, pri bolnikih z ležečo rumeno pego in pri bolnikih brez PVR. Največji delež bolnikov s prekinjeno elipsoidno cono je bil v skupini bolnikov s predoperativno PVR.

10.6016/zdravvestn.3232

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L-arginine as dietary supplement for improving microvascular function

Clinical Hemorheology and Microcirculation (2016)

Živa Melik Polona Zaletel Benda Tina Virtič Ksenija Cankar

Reduced availability of nitric oxide leads to dysfunction of endothelium which plays an important role in the development of cardiovascular diseases.The aim of the present study was to determine whether the dietary supplement L-arginine improves the endothelial function of microvessels by increasing nitric oxide production.We undertook experiments on 51 healthy male volunteers, divided into 4 groups based on their age and physical activity since regular physical activity itself increases endothelium-dependent vasodilation. The skin laser Doppler flux was measured in the microvessels before and after the ingestion of L-arginine (0.9 g). The endothelium-dependent vasodilation was assessed by acetylcholine iontophoresis and the endothelium-independent vasodilation by sodium nitroprusside iontophoresis. In addition, we measured endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent vasodilation in 81 healthy subjects divided into four age groups.After the ingestion of L-arginine, the endothelium-dependent vasodilation in the young trained subjects increased (paired t-test, p < 0.05), while in the other groups it remained the same. There were no differences in the endothelium-independent vasodilation after ingestion of L-arginine. With aging endothelium-independent vasodilation decreased while endothelium-dependent vasodilation remained mainly unchanged.Obtained results demonstrated that a single dose of L-arginine influences endothelium-dependent vasodilation predominantly in young, trained individuals.

Sodium nitroprusside

Iontophoresis

Endothelial Dysfunction

10.3233/ch-16159

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The effect of L-arginine on the function of the microvascular endothelium in healthy trained and sedentary subjects

Proceedings of The Physiological Society (2013)

Ksenija Cankar Tina Virtič Polona Zaletel Benda Živa Melik

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Prognostic Factor Analysis of Visual Outcome after Vitrectomy for Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment

Journal of Clinical Medicine (2020)

Polona Zaletel Benda Bor Vratanar Goran Petrovski Ana Uršula Gavrić Katja Matović

Pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) is a surgical approach mainly chosen for complex rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) repair with highly variable functional results. The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the impact of preoperative factors and postoperative optical coherence tomography (OCT) macular findings on the functional outcome of patients undergoing primary PPV for RRD. A retrospective analysis was performed on 88 eyes of 88 patients with complex RRD managed by PPV. A swept source OCT was used to obtain images at the postoperative visit at least 6 months after PPV. Hierarchical linear regression model was used to evaluate the influence of preoperative factors related to patient, ocular clinical and postoperative OCT macular findings on functional outcomes of PPV for RRD. Duration of symptoms (p = 0.031) and discontinuity of the ellipsoid zone (EZ) on OCT (p = 0.024) showed statistically significant negative correlation, while preoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA; p < 0.001) showed statistically significant positive correlation to postoperative BCVA. Preoperative BCVA and duration of symptoms can be used as prognostic factors for visual outcome in patients undergoing PPV for RRD. Discontinuity of the EZ was the only postoperative OCT variable related to worse postoperative visual outcome.

10.3390/jcm9103251

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The effect of L-arginine on microvascular reactivity in normotensive subjects with a family history of hypertension

DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (2014)

Polona Zaletel Benda Tina Virtič Ksenija Cankar Živa Melik

Background : An increasing number of studies support the hypothesis that endothelial dysfunction due to reduced availability of nitric oxide plays a key role in initiation, development and progression of essential hypertension. The aim of our study was to determine whether the ingestion of L-arginine actually improves microvascular function in normotensive subjects with a family history of hypertension. Methods : 30 normotensive healthy men, aged 20–30 years, were divided into two groups according to the family history of hypertension. We measured ECG, heart rate, systolic and diastolic arterial pressure, cardiac output, stroke volume, total peripheral resistance (Task Force Monitor) and laser Doppler (LD) flux in the microvessels of the skin on the forearm at rest, before and after the administration of 0.9 g L-arginine. The endothelium-dependent vasodilation was assessed by iontophoresis of acetylcholine and the endothelium-independent vasodilation by iontophoresis of sodium nitroprusside. Results : After the ingestion of L-arginine the heart rate and the cardiac output statistically significantly decreased in both groups (paired t-test, p < 0.05). Arterial pressure did not change significantly. Stroke volume decreased and total peripheral resistance increased only in the group of subjects with a family history of hypertension (paired t-test, p < 0.05) The ingestion of L-arginine in predisposed normotensive subjects acutely improved the endothelium-dependent vasodilation (Dunnett’s test, p < 0.05), which is consistent with the assumption that endothelial dysfunction is already present in these subjects. Conclusions : In subjects with a family history of hypertension L-arginine improved endothelial function. This justifies L-arginine as a potential agent for the prevention and/or treatment of arterial hypertension.

Reactivity

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Occupational exposure to allergens in oxidative hair dyes

DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (2013)

Polona Zaletel Benda Marjan Bilban Tomaž Lunder

Oxidative hair dyes are the most important hair dying products. Hairdressers are exposed to the allergens found in oxidative hair dyes during the process of applying dyes to the hair, when cutting freshly dyed hair, or as a consequence of prior contamination of the working environment. pphenylenediamine, toluene-2,5-diamine and its sulphate are the most common ingredients in oxidative hair dyes that cause allergic contact dermatitis in hairdressers. Cross-reactivity of p-phenylenediamine with para-amino benzoic acid, sulphonamides, sulphonylurea, dapsone, azo dyes, benzocaine, procaine, and black henna temporary tattoos is possible. Allergic contact dermatitis is classified as delayed-type hypersensitivity, according to Coombs and Gell. Skin changes typically appear on the hands after previous sensitization to causative allergens. Combined with the patient’s overall medical and work history and clinical picture, epicutaneous testing is the basic diagnostic procedure for confirming the diagnosis and identifying the causative allergens. The simplest and most effective measure for preventing the occurrence of allergic contact dermatitis in hairdressers is prevention. Preventive measures should be applied as early as in the beginning stage of vocational guidance for this profession. It is important to include health education in the process of professional training and to implement general technical safety measures, in order to reduce sensitization to allergens in hairdressing. Here, special emphasis must be given to the correct use of protective gloves. Legislation must limit the concentration of allergenic substances in hair dyes, based on their potential hazards documented by scientific research.

Hair dyes

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