Browsing by Author "Jovanović, Svetlana (54391267300)"

Introduction/Objective The study aims to analyze the thickness of both the ganglion cell layer and the inner plexiform layer (GCL + IPL) among patients suffering from dry and wet form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods One hundred ninety-five patients with AMD participated in the study, along with 94 healthy individuals (mean age 75.2 ± 7.8 years; range 55–86). They were divided into three groups: the first group, or group I, included 100 patients suffering from wet AMD; the second group, or group II, included 95 patients afflicted with dry AMD; the final 94 patients made up the control group, group III, of healthy individuals without systemic or ocular diseases. Measurements such as the average macular thickness, the average and minimum GCL + IPL thickness, and the GCL + IPL thickness in all six sectors were obtained by Cirrus spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT, Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Dublin, CA, USA). SPSS version 20.0 was used to analyze the data, while the level of statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results In the case of patients with wet AMD, the average value for GCL + IPL thickness was 43.13 μm, for patients with dry AMD the value was 66.73 μm, and the average thickness measured for the control group was 86.23 μm. There was a statistically significant difference between the average GCL + IPL and minimum GCL + IPL thicknesses between the groups (p < 0.001). Lower values were noted for patients with wet AMD (p < 0.001) than those with dry AMD. In the latter, the average GCL + IPL and the minimum GCL + IPL thicknesses were lower than those of the healthy participants, at a level of statistical significance (p < 0.001). Conclusion Participants with AMD exhibited thinner GCL + IPL than the healthy participants, as did the participants with wet AMD when compared to the participants with dry AMD. © 2020, Serbia Medical Society. All rights reserved.

Introduction Behçet disease (BD) is a chronic multi-system disorder with manifestations in the ocular, urological, articular, and vascular systems. Tumor necrosis factor alpha is believed to play a pivotal role in BD. Therapeutic blockade of its activity by infliximab is a novel therapeutic approach and has successfully led to remission of the disease. The aim is to report two cases of refractory BD-associated panuveitis (PU) treated with infliximab. The patients were followed for 12 months. The main therapy assessment parameters were the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in the better eye, slit lamp and fluorescein angiography (FAG) from baseline findings and from the final examination. Case outline A male patient (45 years old, 25 years of BD history) and a female patient (45 years old, 15 years of BD history), both with posterior synechia, 3+ flare and complicated cataract, while the female also had hypopyon, were treated with infliximab administered at the dose of 5 mg/kg at weeks 0, 2, 6, and 14. The results for the male patient were as follows (baseline vs. the final examination): BCVA – 0.5 vs. 0.8; cellular reaction – 3+ vs. 1+; FAG – 1/2 vs. 0. The results for the female patient were as follows: BCVA – 0.1 vs. 0.3; FAG – 2/3 vs. 0. After 12 months, relapses or side-effects were not observed. Conclusion Infliximab is an effective and promising drug in treating refractory BD-associated PU. It promptly reduces acute symptoms of PU, but it still remains to be seen if a long-term remission in a great number of patients will be achieved. © 2017, Serbia Medical Society. All rights reserved.

Having in mind that ophthalmologists are coping with the problems of optimizing uveitis treatment on daily basis, there is a need for more precise elaboration of the treatment. This paper presents recommendations for the treatment of noninfectious uveitis on the basis of professional opinion, years of clinical experience in uveitology, and reference data. The recommendations are based on the SUN and IUSG criteria and are aimed at the development of a treatment algorithm. The treatment of non-infectious uveitis implies the management of acute attack, prevention of relapse and resolution of sequelae. Three treatment steps are identified: (1) the use of corticosteroids; (2) immunosuppressants and (3) biologicals. Each of the steps is associated with pertinent indications, dosage and the mode of administration. The treatment approach is based on etiology and severity of the disease as well as the inflammatory process level of activity. Corticosteroids are most commonly used as the first line of uveitis treatment. However, in more severe, refractory forms and because of associated local and systemic side effects, as well as dose-dependence, corticosteroids have been increasingly replaced with immunosuppressants and/or biological agents. © 2018, Serbian Medical Society. All right reserved.