<div class="WordSection1"><p><strong>Objective. </strong>The aim was to study the association of the use of an oral antihyperglycemic agent metformin with the presence of ocular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). <strong>Methods. </strong>Medical records were reviewed for 234 patients with diagnosed T2D. 81.2% (n=190) patients were using metformin and 18.8% (n=44) using other oral antihyperglycemic agents. Plasma glucose concentration, glycated haemoglobin, and the presence of ocular complications in patients treated with metformin were compared to those in patients treated with other oral antihyperglycemic agents. <strong>Results. </strong>Ocular complications occurred in 65 patients (27.8%). Patients treated with metformin had fewer ocular complications compared to patients treated with other oral antihyperglycemic agents (χ2=19.985; p&lt;0.0001). After adjustment for gender, age, duration of T2D, serum concentration of cholesterol, smoking, body mass index and presence of other diseases, treatment with metformin decreased <strong>the</strong> odds of both glaucoma (OR=0.14, 95% CI: 0.03-0.57, p=0.006) and diabetic retinopathy (OR=0.33, 95% CI: 0.14-0.82, p=0.017) compared with other oral antihyperglycemic agents. <strong>Conclusion. </strong>Our results suggest that metformin may have a protective effect on ocular complications, especially glaucoma, in patients with T2D. The effects of metformin either regarding prevention of ocular complications or ocular complications already developed in patients with T2D, should be further investigated.</p></div>

Diabetes mellitus (DM) as a chronic condition is a growing global problem. Its numerous complications, including ocular diseases, affect patients' quality and length of life. Metformin is an effective, safe, and inexpensive first-line pharmacotherapy for type 2 diabetes (T2D). The current evidence indicates metformin's multiple sites of action and multiple molecular mechanisms leading to its beneficial impact on metabolism, inflammation, oxidative stress, aging, as well as to its cardiovascular, neurological, bone, and antiproliferative properties. These impacts are the result of its acting on adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)dependent and AMPK-independent pathways. Limited data suggest the protective role of metformin on microvascular ocular complications, including retinopathy, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration in patients with T2D. However, to confirm its mentioned protective and therapeutic effects, more large, randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled clinical studies are needed.

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IntroductionSchizophrenia (SCH) is considered the most serious psychiatric disorder with complex pathogenetic and pathophysiological mechanisms and inadequate treatments.ObjectivesGiven the association of psychotropic medication and cognitive, functional, and neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS), the use of certain measuring instruments among patients who suffer from schizophrenia is important because the quantification of treatment effects is crucial for optimizing the management of patients with schizophrenia.AimsTo assess the efficacy of antipsychotic therapy in schizophrenic patients with predominantly negative and positive symptoms, cognitive impairment and social, occupational and psychological dysfunction.MethodsTwo main groups were selected for analysis: (N=34) included patients taking first-generation antipsychotics (FGAs) and (N=16) included patients taking second generation antipsychotics (SGAs). We used the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANNS), Global Assessment Functioning (GAF) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MOCA).ResultsOut of the total number of examinees (n=50), 15/50 (30%) were males and 35/50 (70%) were females; the age of onset was 38.4±1.77; duration of illness (mean±SD) 32.5±5.00; SANS-Total (mean±SD) (23.82±9.962); SAPS-Total (mean ±SD) (28.6±9.74). Analysis of the PANSS scale bipolar index shows that patients on SGA, on average, had lower scores (2.37±12.5) compared to patients on FGA (5.91 ±9.61).ConclusionsPreliminary evidence showed that there are no significant advantages in the use of atypical antipsychotics compared with typical ones in a group of patients suffering from schizophrenia. It is important to realize what role the advancement of antipsychotics has played and what still needs to be accomplished to further improve the outcome of sch patients.