RESUMOA retinopatia diabética (RD) acomete cerca de 95% dos pacientes com diabetes melito tipo 1 (DM1) e 60% dos pacientes com diabetes melito tipo 2 (DM2), sendo a principal causa de cegueira legal em adultos. O objetivo desse manuscrito foi revisar os principais fatores de risco para RD. Os fatores de risco ambientais mais importantes são a hiperglicemia sustentada, os valores elevados de pressão arterial e a longa duração de DM. Entretanto, nem todos os pacientes desenvolvem RD, o que sugere a presença de fatores genéticos, em especial para as formas graves de RD. Diferentes estratégias têm sido utilizadas para avaliar o papel da genética na RD. Estudos de famílias demonstraram agregação familiar de RD. Genes candidatos têm sido estudados (RAGE; VEGF; PPAR-δ; ICAM-1; ECA; ENPP 1; eNOS), observando-se associações positivas ou negativas com a RD. Também alguns cromossomos, em populações selecionadas, foram associados à RD. Finalmente, estudos de expressão genética reforçam a associação de genes candidatos, ou determinam a participação de outros, com a presença da RD. A RD é uma complicação freqüente do DM e junto com os fatores não-genéticos ou ambientais, a identificação de genes relacionados à RD poderá resultar tratamentos mais específicos e eficazes para a RD. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) occurs in about 95% of patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) and in 60% of type 2 DM patients and it is the main cause of legal blindness in adult people. The aim of this manuscript was to review the main risk factors for DR. The major environmental risk factors are hyperglycemia, high blood pressure levels, and long-term duration of DM. However, not all patients will not develop DR, suggesting the presence of a genetic predisposition to DR, especially for severe forms of DR. Special strategies has been used to evaluate the genetic role in DR. Family studies shown that there is a familial aggregation of DR. Candidates genes have been studied (RAGE; VEGF; ECA; ENPP 1; eNOS) and positive or negative associations with DR were demonstrated. Some chromosomes were also associated to DR in selected populations. Finally, genetic expression studies reinforce the association of candidate genes, or participation of others genes, with the presence of DR. DR is a common complication of DM and, along with nongenetic or environmental risk factors, the identification of genes related to DR could result in more specific and efficient DR treatment. (Arq Bras Endocrinol Metab 2008; 52/3:431-441)

Objective To measure the activity of serum phosphodiesterase (PDE) in pre-eclampsia.Design Case-control study.Setting Nephrology Laboratory and Obstetrics Unit at São Lucas Hospital from Pontifícia Universidade Cató lica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.Sample Twenty-nine normal and 28 pregnant women with pre-eclampsia.Methods Serum was collected from women with pre-eclampsia, at the time of diagnosis, and from gestation-matched controls.Circulating PDE activity was assessed by measuring consumption of the substrate thymidine 5#-monophosphate p-nitrophenyl ester and expressed as PDE units/l.Main outcome measures Serum PDE Activity.Results Mean substrate consumption was higher in pre-eclamptic condition (V max = 15.8 ± 1.4 versus 12.7 ± 0.9 U/L, P = 3.7 · 10 -14 ).Conclusion These data suggest that altered PDE activity may play a role in pre-eclampsia endothelial dysfunction.

20/200) and ocular surface stability were evaluated as main outcomes. Donor limbus was obtained from a sibling or a parent of the patient, after an appropriate Class I and II HLA match. RESULTS: One year after surgery, VA improved in 46.2%, ambulatory vision was achieved in 48.7% and a stable corneal surface was achieved in 84.6% of the eyes. At the final follow-up (mean, 48.7 ± 30.6 months), 66.6% of the eyes that had gained VA one year after surgery maintained an improved VA (p=0.28), 94.7% of eyes that had achieved ambulatory vision one year after surgery maintained 20/200 or better (p<0.001) and 93.9% still had a stable corneal surface (p=0.043) at the final follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: HLA-matched lr-CLAL can be an adequate method of treatment for bilateral ocular surface disorders, with a reasonable percentage of success of long-term results.]]>