Evaluation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) level in the tears and serum of age-related macular degeneration patients

AbstractAge-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an important cause of irreversible central blindness worldwide. Clinical manifestations range from asymptomatic in early and intermediate AMD to significant vision loss in late AMD. Approximately 10% of cases of early AMD eventually progress to the late advanced stage, influenced by the upregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In this study, we evaluated VEGF concentration in the tears and serum of AMD patients. Our study revealed a significantly higher level of VEGF in the tears of patients with AMD compared with controls. The tear VEGF level has high sensitivity and specificity, and is significantly related to the severity of AMD, whilst serum VEGF level is non-specific and non-predictive of AMD severity. Thus, VEGF level in the tears may be used as a non-invasive biomarker for AMD progression. A large cohort study is needed for further verification.</jats:p

Ocular sporotrichosis from a tertiary referral center in Malaysia and review of literature in Southeast Asia

Ocular sporotrichosis is rare in Malaysia and Southeast Asia and is increasingly reported in endemic areas of Brazil and Peru. We describe six cases of ocular sporotrichosis involving the bulbar conjunctiva and lid with a literature review on ocular sporotrichosis in Southeast Asia. In these series, four patients presented with similar findings of granulomatous lesion at the palpebral conjunctiva within 1–3 weeks. There was one case mistakenly diagnosed as conjunctival concretion due to its multiple yellowish nodules on the palpebral conjunctiva and another case as chalazion due to swelling of the lower lid. All patients showed immunocompetence. Four patients had an immediate contact with sick cats, one patient had a history of skin scratched by a healthy cat, and another patient had a history of gardening without direct contact with cat. Culture from conjunctival biopsy obtained from five patients and from ruptured lower lid nodules of one patient yielded Sporothrix schenckii. The patients were successfully treated with oral itraconazole 200 mg twice daily. Two patients developed symblepharon after completing treatment, while four patients showed good results without any sequelae