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Zeitschrift für Disability Studies (ZDS)

Acute idiopathic blind spot enlargement syndrome (AIBSES) is characterized by unilateral visual field loss in the blind spot area, acute onset photopsia, and funduscopically few or no optic disc changes. AIBSES predominantly affects young adults and is often misdiagnosed as optic neuritis because of low awareness. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) has become the gold standard in diagnosing AIBSES as a disease of the outer retina. In our case series, we present three consecutive patients with AIBSES followed prospectively with and without steroid therapy. The patients, aged 25 to 27 years, presented in our neuroophthalmology department between 2020 and 2021. We report their disease course and management and discuss therapeutic options, as no well-established procedures exist. Common pitfalls and diagnostic errors are analysed. Two women and one man showed unilateral acute-onset photopsia and blind spot enlargement on perimetry without visual acuity reduction. Spectral domain OCT (Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany) revealed marked peripapillary changes in the ellipsoid zone and autofluorescence in all patients, corresponding to faint blurring of the optic disc margin. Characteristically, there was no P100 latency delay in the visual evoked potential in any of the patients. Two patients received weight-adapted oral prednisolone, which was gradually tapered over six to eight weeks. Two patients showed full recovery of their symptoms at six and seven months after onset, while mild defect healing was seen in one treated patient after 12 months. Follow-up OCT showed restoration of the outer retinal layers 6–12 months after disease onset. Careful history taking and an unprejudiced ophthalmological workup helps in diagnosing AIBSES in young adults with unilateral acute visual field defects. While its etiology is still unclear, accurate diagnosis of AIBSES can be made with peripapillary OCT. In our cases, the disease course of AIBSES was much better than its reputation. Early corticosteroid treatment may support outer retinal reorganisation, which can be followed with OCT in accordance with visual field restoration. This should be addressed in a prospective study., Finanziert durch den Open-Access-Publikationsfonds der Westfälischen Wilhelms-Universität Münster (WWU Münster).

Die anteriore ischämische Optikusneuropathie (AION) und arterielle retinale Gefäßverschlüsse (ZAV, AAV) gehören zu den Krankheitsbildern in der Augenheilkunde, die mit einer gravierenden Reduktion der Sehfunktion und Lebensqualität unserer Patienten einhergehen. Das Erkennen[zum vollständigen Text gelangen Sie über die oben angegebene URL], 182. Versammlung des Vereins Rheinisch-Westfälischer Augenärzte

Purpose Retinal ischemia induces apoptosis leading to neurodegeneration and vision impairment. Carbon monoxide (CO) in gaseous form showed cell-protective and anti-inflammatory effects after retinal ischemia-reperfusion-injury (IRI). These effects were also demonstrated for the intravenously administered CO-releasing molecule (CORM) ALF-186. This article summarizes the results of intravitreally released CO to assess its suitability as a neuroprotective and neuroregenerative agent. Methods Water-soluble CORM ALF-186 (25 μg), PBS, or inactivated ALF (iALF) (all 5 μl) were intravitreally applied into the left eyes of rats directly after retinal IRI for 1 h. Their right eyes remained unaffected and were used for comparison. Retinal tissue was harvested 24 h after intervention to analyze mRNA or protein expression of Caspase-3, pERK1/2, p38, HSP70/90, NF-kappaB, AIF-1 (allograft inflammatory factor), TNF-α, and GAP-43. Densities of fluorogold-prelabeled retinal ganglion cells (RGC) were examined in flat-mounted retinae seven days after IRI and were expressed as mean/mm2. The ability of RGC to regenerate their axon was evaluated two and seven days after IRI using retinal explants in laminin-1-coated cultures. Immunohistochemistry was used to analyze the different cell types growing out of the retinal explants. Results Compared to the RGC-density in the contralateral right eyes (2804±214 RGC/mm2; data are mean±SD), IRI+PBS injection resulted in a remarkable loss of RGC (1554±159 RGC/mm2), p

Background The endogenously produced gaseous molecule carbon monoxide is able to promote organ protection after ischemia-reperfusion injuries (IRI). The impact of carbon monoxide releasing molecules (CORM) regarding inflammation in neuronal tissues has not been studied in detail. In this investigation, we aimed to analyze the effects of the CORM ALF-186 on neuro-inflammation and hypothesized that the soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) is playing a decisive role. Methods Retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury was performed for 60 min in Sprague-Dawley rats. Thereafter, the CORM ALF-186 (10 mg/kg) in the presence or absence of the sGC inhibitor ODQ was injected via a tail vein. Retinal tissue was harvested 24 h later to analyze mRNA or protein expression of sGC-β1 subunit, transcription factors NF-κB and CREB, the inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6, as well as the heat shock proteins (HSP) HSP-70 and HSP-90. Immunohistochemistry was performed on frozen sections of the retina. The overall neuroprotective effect of ALF-186 was assessed by counting fluorogold-pre-labeled retinal ganglion cells (RGC) 7 days after IRI. Results Ischemia-reperfusion mediated loss of vital RGC was attenuated by the administration of ALF-186 after injury. ALF-186 treatment after IRI induced sGC-ß1 leading to a decreased NF-κB and CREB phosphorylation. Consecutively, ALF-186 mitigated IRI induced TNF-α and IL-6 expression in the retina and in the rats’ serum. Moreover, ALF-186 attenuated heat shock protein 70 (Hsp-70) while increasing Hsp-90. The sGC-inhibitor ODQ attenuated the anti-inflammatory effects of ALF-186 and increased retinal loss of ganglion cells. These results were confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Conclusion The CORM ALF-186 protected RGC from IRI induced loss. Furthermore, ALF-186 reduced IRI mediated neuroinflammation in the retina and in the serum by activating sGC. Inhibition of sGC stopped the beneficial and protective effects of ALF-186. ALF-186 may present a promising therapeutic alternative in treating inflammation after neuronal IRI.