Search

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on lens opacity as measured by Scheimpflug densitometry, serum inflammatory cytokines, and antioxidant levels. Methods: A total of 264 women who were at least five years beyond menopause were included. The control group of 128 patients (Group 1) did not use HRT at any time after menopause. The treatment group of 136 patients (Group 2) used HRT for5 years or more after menopause. Cortical, nuclear, and posterior subcapsular density; pentacam nucleus staging (PNS); pentacam densitometry of zone (PDZ) as measured using a Scheimpflug imaging system (Pentacam); and antioxidant and inflammatory cytokines activities in serum using multiplex bead analysiswere examined. Results: Uncorrected visual acuity (logMAR) of group1 was significantly worse than those of group 2 (p<.05). Group1 was significantly more myopic than group 2 (p<.05). Nuclear and posterior subcapsular density, PNS, and percentage of PDZ in group 1 were significantly higher than those of group 2 (p<.05). The serum IL-1m. IL-6, IL-8, and TGF-, concentrations of group 1 were significantly higher than those of group 2, and the serum catalase, superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD 1), and superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD 2) fluorescence intensities of group 1 were significantly lower than those of group 2 (p<.05). Conclusions: Long-term use of HRT may have a protective effect against cataract formation. HRT seems to be effective in decreasing inflammation and increasing antioxidant contents in the serum of postmenopausal women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We investigated clinical course and risk factors for diabetic retinopathy (DR) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: A total of 759 patients with T2DM without DR were included from January 2001 to December 2004. Retinopathy evaluation was performed at least annually by ophthalmologists. Te severity of the DR was classified into five categories according to the International Clinical Diabetic Retinopathy Severity Scales. Results: Of the 759 patients, 523 patients (68.9%) completed the follow-up evaluation. During the follow-up period, 235 patients (44.9%) developed DR, and 32 patients (13.6%) progressed to severe nonproliferative DR (NPDR) or proliferative DR (PDR). The mean duration of diabetes at the first diagnosis of mild NPDR, moderate NPDR, and severe NPDR or PDR were 14.8, 16.7, and 17.3 years, respectively. After adjusting multiple confounding factors, the significant risk factors for the incidence of DR risk in patients with T2DM were old age, longer duration of diabetes, higher mean glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and albuminuria. Even in the patients who had been diagnosed with diabetes for longer than 10 years at baseline, a decrease in HbA1c led to a significant reduction in the risk of developing DR (hazard ratio, 0.73 per 1% HbA1c decrement; 95% confidence interval, 0.58 to 0.91; P=0.005). Conclusion: This prospective cohort study demonstrates that glycemic control, diabetes duration, age, and albuminuria are important risk factors for the development of DR. More aggressive retinal screening for T2DM patients diagnosed with DR should be required in order to not miss rapid progression of DR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]