Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is an inherited retinal disease characterized by degeneration of retinal pigment epithelial cells. Precision medicine is a new medical model that applies modern genetic technology, combining living environment, clinical data of patients, molecular imaging technology and bio-information technology to achieve accurate diagnosis and treatment, and establish personalized disease prevention and treatment model. At present, precise diagnosis of RP is mainly based on next-generation sequencing technology and preimplantation genetic diagnosis, while precise therapy is mainly reflected in gene therapy, stem cell transplantation and gene-stem cell therapy. Although the current research on precision medicine for RP has achieved remarkable results, there are still many problems in the application process that is needed close attention. For instance, the current gene therapy cannot completely treat dominant or advanced genetic diseases, the safety of gene editing technology has not been solved, the cells after stem cell transplantation cannot be effectively integrated with the host, gene sequencing has not been fully popularized, and the big data information platform is imperfect. It is believed that with the in-depth research of gene sequencing technology, regenerative medicine and the successful development of clinical trials, the precision medicine for RP will be gradually improved and is expected to be applied to improve the vision of patients with RP in the future.
ObjectiveTo preliminarily evaluate the feasibility of ultra-wide-angle fundus imaging (UWFI) to observe the Weiss ring (vitreous floats) and the effectiveness and safety of neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd: YAG) laser ablation in the treatment of symptomatic Weiss ring. MethodsA retrospective clinical study. From March 2016 to December 2019, 80 eyes of 68 patients with symptomatic Weiss ring who were diagnosed and treated at Guangzhou Aier Eye Hospital were included in the study. Among them, there were 39 eyes in 32 males and 41 eyes in 36 females; the average age was 53.7±10.8 years old. All the affected eyes were examined by slit lamp microscope combined with 90 D front lens and UWFI. The position and shape of the vitreous floating objects by drawing pictures were recorded. All the affected eyes underwent Nd: YAG laser ablation treatment. Three months after treatment, a questionnaire survey was conducted on the patients to assess the improvement of subjective symptoms. Those with a total score of 10, 7-9, 3-6, and ≤2 points were defined as cured, significant improvement, partial improvement, and no improvement, respectively. The measurement software Gauge 1.0 was used to manually measure the long diameter, circumference and area of the vitreous float on the UWFI image. The diameter of the optic disc to 1 Unit (U) was set as a standardized reference value. Those who did not show UWFI and no floating objects were found on the front mirror were recorded as 0. The changes of vitreous floats before and after treatment were compared by Wilcoxon rank sum test; the changes in their size before and after treatment and the patients' subjective symptom improvement scores after treatment were analyzed by Spearman rank correlation. ResultsAfter treatment, in 80 eyes, there were no vitreous floats in 59 eyes (73.8%, 59/80) on UWFI. Before treatment, the circumference of the vitreous float was 1.84 (1.07, 2.64) U, the long diameter was 1.17 (0.84, 1.66) U, and the area was 0.18 (0.08, 0.30) U2; after treatment, the circumference was 0.00 (0.00, 0.23) U, The long diameter is 0.00 (0.00, 0.23) U, and the area was 0.00 (0.00, 0.01) U2. There were statistically significant differences in the perimeter, diameter, and area of floating objects before and after treatment (Z=−7.722, −7.560, −7.655; P＜0.001). The results of the questionnaire survey showed that the patient's subjective symptoms were cured, significantly improved, and partially improved in 49 (61.3%, 49/80), 25 (31.2%, 25/80), and 6 (7.5%, 6/80) eyes, respectively. The results of correlation analysis showed that the degree of improvement of the patient's subjective symptoms was related to the circumference (r=0.812), long diameter (r=0.796), and area (r=0.791) of the vitreous float on UWFI before and after treatment (P＜0.01). During the follow-up period, no complications such as increased intraocular pressure or decreased vision occurred. ConclusionsUWFI can objectively image the Weiss ring, and its size can be quantified relatively to the measurement software. Nd: YAG laser ablation treatment of symptomatic Weiss ring is safe and effective.
Behçet uveitis (BU), one of the common manifestations of Behçet syndrome, has a poor prognosis, high blinding rate, and severely impairs the quality of patients’ life. The current treatment principle mainly induce and maintain inflammation remission by suppressing the immune response. The glucocorticoid combined with immunosuppressive therapy for the treatment of BU has disadvantages such as long medication time, severe adverse effects, and poor long-term prognosis, whereas biologics have gradually attracted attention about the treatment of BU because of their high efficacy, low toxicity, and good long-term prognosis. The biologics used to treat BU include tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors, interferon-α, interleukin blockers, and lymphocyte targeting preparations. It is believed that with the progress of various studies and clinical trials, the stepwise application of biologics is promising, and it is hopeful to provide more accurate and effective treatment for patients with BU in the future.