BackgroundTo compare life span of persons with and without ocular pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PES).MethodsThe study is based on an epidemiological survey conducted in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway, in 1985–86. All inhabitants over 64 years of age (2109 individuals) were invited. Mortality information was obtained from The Norwegian Institute of Public Health in 2014, by which time 99% of the participants were deceased.ResultsWhen adjusting for age and gender, life span was not statistically different in persons with and without PES. Following the diagnosis of PES, patients' survival was up to, and beyond, 30 years.ConclusionsOur observations suggest that, despite all the systemic aberrations reported in persons with ocular PES, none or only marginal functional changes are caused in extraocular organs and tissues. The present study supports the notion that systemic PES is not a life-threatening condition.

ABSTRACT.Purpose: The maximum post-mortem time limit for obtaining donor corneas varies between eye banks. It is not known for how long a time the epithelial cells survive post-mortem, nor is it known if donor corneas with extended postmortem time are able to regenerate the epithelium. Therefore, we wanted to examine the epithelium in donor corneas for regenerative ability during storage in an eye bank organ culture system. Methods: Twenty-four paired donor corneas with post-mortem time from 28 to 163 hr were obtained. One cornea of a pair was fixed immediately to serve as a control, and the second was cultured in eye bank medium at 32°C for 3 days. Examination of the specimens was performed with light and scanning electron microscopy. Immunohistochemical staining methods with antibodies against K 3, K 19, vimentin and p63 were used to further characterize the cells. Results: The control corneas showed decreasing amounts of epithelial cells with increasing post-mortem time. All the cultured corneas demonstrated rapid regeneration of the epithelium. After 3 days in organ culture, 10 of 12 donor corneas were covered with epithelium. Conclusion: Even up to 7 days post-mortem, viable cells reside in the corneal epithelium. The study demonstrates the hardiness and enormous regenerative potential of peripheral corneal cells. Donor corneas processed in an eye bank organ culture storage system will obtain an intact epithelial layer within a few days.

Serotonin syndrome is a potentially life-threatening reaction that occurs in patients using drugs that elevate the serotonin level in the body. Excess serotonergic activity in the CNS and peripheral serotonin receptors results in neuromuscular hyperactivity, mental changes and autonomic symptoms. Hyperthermia is a characteristic feature of the syndrome. We describe neuropathological findings from two cases of lethal serotonin syndrome, both patients presenting with hyperthermia and neuromuscular symptoms. One of the patients had been taking amitriptylin and mirtazapin and the other had used amitriptylin and citalopram. They died, respectively, 10 days and 2½ months after the onset of serotonin syndrome symptoms. Post-mortem examination of the brains showed subtotal loss of cerebellar Purkinje cells in both cases. In the case with shorter survival time, areas with partial loss of cerebellar granule cells were observed, whereas in the case with longer survival time general and extensive loss of granule cells was found. Cells in other areas of the brain known to be sensitive to hypoxic injury were not affected. Selective loss of Purkinje cells has previously been described in neuroleptic malignant syndrome and heatstroke, conditions that are characterized by hyperthermia. This suggests that hyperthermia may be a causative factor of brain damage in serotonin syndrome. This is the first report describing neuropathological findings in serotonin syndrome.