Background and Objectives: Diabetic retinopathy is one of the common complications of diabetes which can cause irreversible visual loss. The present study aimed at evaluating the effect of lovastatin on visual acuity and central macular thickness in patients with refractory diabetic macular edema. Materials and Methods: In a before - after study, 40 patients with refractory diabetic macular edema were allocated. Lovastatin (20 mg/day) was prescribed for 3 months and the effect of this drug was evaluated on visual acuity (by log MAR) and central macular thickness (using Optical Coherence Tomography). Results: The mean visual acuity at the first visit (0.42±0.2 and 0.46±0.3 in right and left eyes, respectively) did not differ from that after 3 months. Moreover, central macular thickness at the first visit (275±34 µm and 286±54 µm in right and left eyes, respectively) was not significantly different from that after 3 months (278±34 µm and 287±76 µm in right and left eyes, respectively). Conclusion: These findings indicate that 3 month intake of lovastatin (20 mg/day) did not have effect on central macular thickness and visual acuity in patients with diabetic macular edema.
To evaluate the factors affecting improvement of stereopsis following successful surgical correction of childhood strabismus in adults.In a prospective study, consecutive patients with childhood-onset, comitant, horizontal, constant strabismus; stereoacuity of more than 480 seconds of arc in TNO stereo test (absent stereopsis in TNO); and who had successful postoperative alignment (within 10 prism diopters [PD] of orthotropia) were enrolled. Postoperative stereopsis testing was performed using the TNO stereo test at 3 months after surgery.A total of 34 patients (20 exotropes and 14 esotropes) were included. The mean age at the time of surgery was 26.08±10.53 years (range, 14-53 years). Stereopsis was improved in 8 of 34 patients (23.5%). Postoperative alignment had influence on improvement of stereopsis; 38.1% of patients who had orthotropia gained stereopsis, whereas none of patients who had horizontal heterotropia (esotropia or exotropia) of 10 PD or less gained stereopsis (p=0.01). Misalignment of 10 years' duration or longer did not preclude the development of postoperative stereoacuity (p=0.31). There was a statistically insignificant increase in improvement of stereopsis in nonamblyopic group (30.4%) compared with amblyopic group (9.1%) (p=0.22). Also, there was a statistically insignificant increase in improvement of stereopsis in exotropes (35%) compared with esotropes (7.1%) (p=0.1). The angle of preoperative deviation had no influence on improvement of stereopsis (p=0.44).A postoperative correction of orthotropia was the only predictive factor for improvement of stereopsis in adults with childhood strabismus.
To determine the benefits of calcium dobesilate (CaD) administration on endothelial function and inflammatory status in patients with diabetic retinopathy through measurement of serum levels of endothelin-1 and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP).In a double-blind, randomized clinical trial, 90 patients with either severe nonproliferative or proliferative diabetic retinopathy and with blood glucose level of 120-200 mg/dl were randomly allocated to treatment with either CaD tablets (500 mg daily) or placebo for 3 months. Visual acuity, intraocular pressure, and macular status were performed before the study. The serum levels of endothelin-1 and hsCRP were evaluated in both groups before and at the third month of the trial.The median serum level of hsCRP significantly differed between the groups 3 months following the CaD or placebo administration (2.2 mg/l in the CaD group versus 3.7 mg/l in the placebo group, p=0.01). The mean endothelin-1 serum level was 0.69±0.32 pg/ml in the CaD group and 0.86±0.30 pg/ml in the placebo group (p=0.01). Furthermore, in the CaD group, the serum levels of both endothelin-1 and hsCRP were significantly decreased 3 months after administration of CaD (p<0.001).Administration of the CaD in the patients with diabetic retinopathy may reduce the serum levels of endothelin-1 and hsCRP. This might imply amelioration of the endothelial function and inflammatory status following CaD therapy in these patients.
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