Optical Coherence Tomography evaluation in X-linked retinoschisis

X-linked Retinoschisis is a bilateral retinal disease with a recessive X-linked inheritance, characterized by a macular involvement. Maculopathy consists of bilateral star-shaped microcystic changes. Peripheral retina is sometimes involved with schisis. In two years, were examined 10 eyes of 5 male patients (age range 20-25 years old) with X-linked Juvenile Retinoschisis and progressive reduction of visual acuity. Macular alterations were classified as: Typical foveal schisis; Altered foveal reflection; Lines of pigmentary demarcation; Retinal pigmentary epithelium atrophy; Hole in retinal internal layer. OCT images showed a separation of neurosensorial retina that coincided with classical histopathological findings. Examination results were correlated with clinical examination and compared with ERG findings. OCT images underline an increase of retinal thickness with a separation in the nerve fiber layer in the foveal space.

Optical coherence tomography and electro-oculogram abnormalities in X-linked retinitis pigmentosa

PURPOSE

To determine the correlations between morphological optical coherence tomography (OCT) and electrophysiological electro-oculogram (EOG) alterations in families with X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP).

DESIGN

Observational case series.

PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS

About 32 eyes of 16 members of four different families: Seven obligate carriers, four affected male homozygotes and five unaffected females underwent ophthalmologic completed exams including EOG and OCT. All the subjects were previously tested with genetic analysis. The results were statistically analysed.

RESULTS

The abnormalities in OCT were detected in all carriers and affected males consisting of macular edema and increased RPE reflectivity compared to no alterations in unaffected females. The EOG was flat in all affected males; distinctly abnormal in eight eyes of obligate carriers; normal in two eyes of obligate carriers and in all unaffected females. In two obligate carriers, the EOG was not performed due to a nuclear cataract. The correlations between OCT and EOG alterations were statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

The OCT and EOG were demonstrated to be useful methods to identify the minimal alterations in carriers of X-linked retinitis pigmentosa.

Adrenomedullin plasma concentrations in patients with retinitis pigmentosa

PURPOSE

To evaluate the relationship between retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and plasma adrenomedullin (ADM) levels.

METHODS

Blood samples were obtained from a group of 40 consecutive patients with RP matched with 35 healthy subjects (HS) as control. We carried out a complete ophtalmological examination. The study group included 26 patients with RP and 14 patients with syndromic RP. Plasma ADM levels were determined in duplicate with a specific radioimmunoassay method.

RESULTS

In the HS plasma ADM levels were 13.7 +/- 6.1 pg/mL. The mean of plasma ADM concentrations in all patients with RP (23.4 +/- 10.7 pg/mL) was significantly (P < 0.0001) higher than that of HS. Moreover, in the syndromic RP patients, plasma ADM levels (28.6 +/- 14.35 pg/ml) were higher than those of HS and RP patients (P < 0.0017).

CONCLUSION

The increase of plasma ADM levels in RP patients may be a response to photoreceptor damage.