Optic neuropathies constitute a group of conditions with various etiologies and might be caused by different factors; we can distinguish the genetic and acquired causes of optic neuropathies. Even though the symptoms are not highly specific, this condition is primarily characterized by unilateral or bilateral vision loss with worsening color detection. The loss may be acute or gradual depending on the causation. In this article, we included a specification of toxic optic neuropathy (TON) mainly triggered by alcohol abuse and also the usage of other substances, including drugs or methanol, as well as intoxication by metals, organic solvents, or carbon dioxide. Nutritional deficiencies, vitamin absorption disorder, and anemia, which usually appear during excessive alcohol intake, and their effect on the etiology of the optic neuropathy have been likewise discussed.

Statins are one of the key drugs in the treatment of cardiology patients. They lower LDL cholesterol levels, thereby reducing the risk of acute cardiovascular events. Statins are among the best studied drugs, and have been proven to be effective and safe in the treatment of dyslipidemia. Data presented in studies on the prevalence of statin intolerance (SI) varies widely, according to some studies, statin tolerance is the same as placebo, however, this is a common problem in clinical practice. The most common reported symptoms of SI include muscle pain. Patients are often afraid of starting satin treatment because of possible side effects. The appearance of myopathy in patients results in their discontinuation of therapy, which results in increased cardiovascular risk. In order to minimize the risk of SI, particularly statin-associated muscular pain (SI), a key role is played by discussion with the patient, exclusion of nocebo effects, identification of risk factors, dose modification and possible discontinuation of the drug. The purpose of this paper is to review the problem of the most common of the adverse effects of statins- myopathy, in terms of incidence, probable cause, and recommended treatment of patients.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has the worst prognosis among all cancers due to latestage diagnosis, limited detection and treatment methods. MiRNAs are post-transcriptional regulators, recently reported to have numerous functions, including modulation of cellular differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis, Several tumor suppressors, such as PTEN, TPM1, and PDCD4 were identified as miR-21 targets. MiR-21 is stable in both tissues and plasma, disease-specific and therefore it appears to be a promising biomarker for benign and malignant diseases of pancreas. Current evidence suggests that miR-21 overexpression is associated with shorter overall survival, higher rate of liver and regional lymph nodes metastases.

Introduction:  Optic neuropathies are a broad group of diseases in which the dominant disturbance is damage to the optic nerve, often irreversible. Underlying causes of neuropathy are both genetic and environmental. Despite limited treatment options, much research is currently being done on substances that could improve optic nerve function and alleviate the clinical consequences of optic nerve damage. Purpose: This article describes current findings in both the optic nerve neuropathy pathophysiology and diagnosis of the disorder, as well as treatment options and future perspectives. State of knowledge: The pathogenetic cause of neuropathy is mainly demyelination within the neural sheath, often caused by inflammation. It is characterized by progressive loss of vision. The most common genetic cause of optic neuropathy is mitochondrially inherited Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) and is characterized by mostly sudden and painless loss of visual acuity. Toxic neuropathies are a group of diseases caused by heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, methanol and carbon monoxide. Nutritional neuropathy is mainly related to vitamin B1, B9 and B12 deficiency, and is a rare example of neuropathy that can be curable at the early stage of the disease. Another group of neuropathies is caused by ischemia and can be divided according to the place of the optic nerve affected – AION (anterior ischemic optic neuropathy) and PION (posterior ischemic optic neuropathy). Conclusions: The therapeutic options in the treatment of optic neuropathy strictly depend on the causative factor. Nutritional deficiencies are treated with appropriate supplementation, so it is vital to truly determine the missing vitamins and elements.