Objective To observe the changes of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods Twenty eyes of 40 patients with mild and (or) moderate AD confirmed by clinical examination (AD group) were included in the study. There were 11 males and 9 females with an average age of (72.75±8.25) years. Age and gender-matched normal 20 objectives were in the normal control group. Among them, there were 11 males and 9 females with a mean age of (71.05±7.08) years. There was no significant difference in gender composition, age and intraocular pressure between the two groups (P＞0.05). There were significant differences in visual acuity, cup disc ratio and mini-mental state examination score (P＜0.05). All eyes underwent high-resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) examination. With a diameter of 3.4 mm and a center on the center of the optic disc, circular fast scans on optic disc were performed to obtain an average disc RNFL thickness, signal threshold ＞6. Computer image analysis system was used to measure the RNFL thickness from superior, inferior, temporal and nasal quadrants, and the average RNFL thickness. The changes of RNFL thickness between the two groups and between different eyes of the same group were compared. Results Compared with the normal control group, the average (t=5.591), superior (t=8.169, 8.053) and inferior (t=12.596, 11.377) thickness of RNFL in both eyes in AD group were thinner, the differences were significant (P＜0.05); the temporal (t=1.966, 0.838）and nasal (t=2.071, 0.916) thickness of RNFL in both eyes of AD group were thinner, but the difference was not statistically significant (P＞0.05). There was no significant difference of the mean and different quadrant RNFL thickness between different eyes in AD group and normal control group (AD group: t=0.097, 0.821, 0.059, 0.020, 0.116; normal control group: t=0.791, 1.938, 1.806, 2.058, 1.005; P＞0.05). Conclusion The RNFL thickness around the optic disc in AD patients is thinner; This occurs first in superior and inferior quadrants of the optic disc.
ObjectiveTo analyze the features and clinical significance of blood eosinophils (EOS) in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD).MethodsThe general data, laboratory examination and treatment of patients with AECOPD admitted to this department from January 2014 to December 2016 were analyzed retrospectively. Based on the inclusion of treatment targets for blood EOS according to 2018GOLD, patients were divided into group A (EOS<100 cells/μL), group B (100 cells/μL≤EOS≤300 cells/μL), and group C (EOS>300 cells/μL) with two cut-off levels. The differences in general data, severity, and glucocorticoid use between group A, group B and group C were compared.ResultsA total of 515 patients with AECOPD were enrolled. 10.87% of patients had blood EOS>300 cells/μL, and 39.03% of patients had blood EOS≥100 cells/μL. Patients in group B and C were younger, with shorter disease duration, intensive care unit stay time, non-invasive mechanical ventilation use time. The time of glucocorticoid administration was significantly shortened, and the cumulative dose of venous glucocorticoid, hospitalization cost, and total drug cost were also lower than those of group A (all P<0.05).ConclusionsPatients in group B and C are younger, shorter in disease duration, lower in severity and more responsive to glucocorticoid therapy. Blood EOS can be used as a marker to guide glucocorticoid therapy in patients with AECOPD.