No abstract

Retinopathy of prematurity is the main cause of visual impairment and blindness in infants with low birth weight and preterm gestational age, in spite of the achievements in neonatology and wide applying of diagnostic and treatment guidelines. The pathogenetic role of VEGF is determined in course of normal angiogenesis and in retinopathy of prematurity. Scientists continue the search of another significant vasoprolifirative factors and methods how to inhibit them. This review is devoted to monoamines’ role in angiogenesis. The search for the relevant literature was carried out using the Medline database.

Background: The efficiency of treatment and prevention of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) has improved. In addition, the development of a disease screening system to reduce the incidence of disability resulting from this pathology is important. Aim: This study aimed to determine new laboratory criteria for screening and predicting the ROP course through in-depth investigation of the molecules participating in the pathogenesis of ROP. Material and methods: A comprehensive clinical and experimental study was performed to assess the local and systemic levels of 49 cytokines with various biological effects, four monoamines, and angiotensin-II (AT-II) at different stages of the pathological process. In the clinical analysis, 165 preterm infants at risk of ROP development were examined. For the experimental part, the disease course of 145 Wistar infant rats in the developed model of experimental ROP was analyzed. Results: Among cytokines, the seven most promising potential laboratory markers of ROP development and adverse course were as follows: MCP1 95 pg/mL, IGF-II 140 pg/mL, TGFbeta1 18000 pg/mL, and IGF-I 24 pg/mL in the blood serum of preterm infants before the first signs of ROP and VEGF-A 108 pg/mL, TGF-beta2 100 pg/mL, and PDGF-BB 1800 pg/mL at ROP manifestation. Among monoamines, serotonin (17.0 pg/mL) and L-DOPA indicated their prognostic value in the clinical and experimental settings. Moreover, a possible prognostic role of AT-II was found. Conclusion: In this study, methods to improve the ROP screening system are outlined, but further work is necessary to assess the possibility of implementing the results in clinical practice

AIM: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of micropulse cyclophotocoagulation (MP-CPC) in the treatment of various types of glaucoma in children. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 14 children (15 eyes) with uncompensated glaucoma of various etiologies, who underwent MP-CPC using the Cyclo G6 laser system (IRIDEX, USA). The intervention was considered absolutely effective when IOP reached 8 to 25 mm Hg without medications and without signs of progression of glaucoma, relatively effective, when the same criteria are achieved with hypotensive medications. RESULTS: The average age of children at the time of intervention was 8.51.5 yr (from 7 months to 17 yr). The average level of IOP before surgery was 28.51.1 mm Hg, 3 days after MP-CPC (18.871.04 mm Hg), while the absolute efficiency was 14.3%, relative 100%. By the end of the observation period (16 months; on average, 2.50.4 months), the average IOP was 24.41.31 mm Hg (average decrease, 14.3%), with absolute efficiency of 0% and relative of 66.7%. The average number of hypotensive medications received in instillations did not change significantly before and after MP-CPC and amounted to 3.450.22 and 2.910.39, respectively (p=0.167). Complications after MP-CPC were detected in six eyes (40%); in all cases, the appearance or increase of the inflammatory reaction in the anterior chamber was observed. In addition, in two eyes (13.3%). In addition, a slight mydriasis (45 mm) developed. CONCLUSION: MP-CPC is a safe and effective treatment for glaucoma in children with various etiologies. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of intervention in the long term and the safety of repeated procedures to achieve normal IOP and to develop individual schemes of MP-CPC.