ObjectiveTo observe the gene mutations and clinical phenotypes in patients with Usher syndrome type 2 (USH2) and retinitis pigmentosa (RP).Methods From August 2018 to January 2019, 4 patients and 11 normal family members from 3 families of USH2 and RP who visited Henan Eye Hospital were enrolled in the study. Detailed medical history was obtained and visual acuity, fundus color photography, OCT, visual field, full field ERG examination were performed. Among the three families, pedigree 1 was diagnosed with USH2, pedigree 2 and pedigree 3 were diagnosed with RP. The peripheral venous blood of patients and their family members were collected, and the whole genomic DNA was extracted. Targeted capture next generation sequencing analysis was performed on these members, and Sanger sequencing and family co-segregation were verified.ResultsIn the family F1, the proband had symptoms of RP and sensorineural deafness. Sequencing revealed two heterozygous frameshift variants: c.13877-13880 del AGAC (p. Q4626P) in exon 64 and c.798 del T (p. F266L) in exon 5 of USH2A. Both patients of family 2 and 3 showed RP signs without deafness. Two heterozygous variants c.15178T＞C (p. S5060 P) in exon 70 and c.6986C＞A (p. P2329H) in exon 37, and a pathogenic heterozygous variant c.5836C＞T (p. R1946X) in exon 29 of USH2A were identified in family F2. A heterozygous missense variant c.14951C＞T (p. P4984L) in exon 68 and a variant c.11156G＞A (p. R3719H) in exon 57 of USH2A were found in family F3. The results of conservation analysis showed that the corresponding amino acid sites of USH2A p.Q4626P, p.F266L, p.S5060P, p.P2329H and p.P4984L were highly conserved in many species. Among these 7 pathogenic variants detected, M1-M4 and M6 were novel.ConclusionsMutation USH2A gene are the main cause of USH2 and non-syndromic RP. Different variants affect protein translation and synthesis, consequently causing different clinical phenotypes.
ObjectiveTo report the BEST1 gene mutations and clinical phenotypes in two pedigrees with Best vitelliform macular dystrophy (BVMD) and autosomal recessive bestrophinopathy (ARB)．MethodsA retrospective clinical study. From November 2019 to March 2021, in the Department of Ophthalmology of The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, the BVMD family (4 patients and 6 family members) and the ARB family (2 patients, 2 family members), a total of 6 patients and 8 normal family members were included in the study. Detailed medical history was obtained; best corrected visual acuity, fundus color photography, electrophysiology, optical coherence tomography and fundus autofluorescence examination were performed. The clinical characteristics for all patients in the two families were analyzed. Three milliliter peripheral venous blood of all participants in the family was collected, and the whole genomic DNA was extracted with gene sequencing using next-generation sequencing technology based on targeted capture. Compared with the database to identify the pathogenicity mutation sites, suspected pathogenic mutation sites were selected, then mutations in other members in the family was assayed by Sanger sequencing. ResultsIn family 1, the proband was demonstrated as typical BVMD, other patients were multifocal vitelliform macular dystrophy. The DNA sequencing result showed that all the 4 patients carried heterozygous missense mutations in exon 3 of BEST1 gene: c.240C>G (p.F80L) (M1) and 2 members carried this mutation, but without clinical phenotype. M1 was a likely-pathogenic mutation reported for the first time. In family 2, the proband and the other patient were diagnosed as ARB. The DNA result showed that the 2 patients carried heterozygous missense mutations in exon 5 and exon 2 of BEST1 gene: c.584C>T (p.A195V) (M2)、c.139C>A (p.R47S) (M3), and a heterozygous frameshift mutation in exon 3 of BEST1 gene: c.235dupT (p.S79Ffs*153) (M4). M2 was a pathogenic mutation reported previously. M3 variant was of undetermined significance. M4 was a first reported pathogenic mutation. ConclusionsThe BEST1 gene mutation is the main cause of BVMD and ARB. Different mutation sites have different clinical phenotypes. BVMD and ARB have genetic and clinical heterogeneity.
ObjectiveTo study the efficiency and difference of the artificial intelligence (AI) system based on fundus-reading in community and hospital scenarios in screening/diagnosing diabetic retinopathy (DR) among aged population, and further evaluate its application value. MethodsA combination of retrospective and prospective study. The clinical data of 1 608 elderly patients with diabetes were continuously treated in Henan Eye Hospital & Henan Eye Institute from July 2018 to March 2021, were collected. Among them, there were 659 males and 949 females; median age was 64 years old. From December 2018 to April 2019, 496 elderly diabetes patients were prospectively recruited in the community. Among them, there were 202 males and 294 female; median age was 62 years old. An ophthalmologist or a trained endocrinologist performed a non-mydriatic fundus color photographic examination in both eyes, and a 45° frontal radiograph was taken with the central fovea as the central posterior pole. The AI system was developed based on the deep learning YOLO source code, AI system based on the deep learning algorithm was applied in final diagnosis reporting by the "AI+manual-check" method. The diagnosis of DR were classified into 0-4 stage. The 2-4 stage patients were classified into referral DR group. ResultsA total of 1 989 cases (94.5%, 1 989/2 104) were read by AI, of which 437 (88.1%, 437/496) and 1 552 (96.5%, 1 552/1 608) from the community and hospital, respectively. The reading rate of AI films from community sources was lower than that from hospital sources, and the difference was statistically significant (χ2=51.612, P<0.001). The main reasons for poor image quality in the community were small pupil (47.1%, 24/51), cataract (19.6%, 10/51), and cataract combined with small pupil (21.6%, 11/51). The total negative rate of DR was 62.4% (1 241/1 989); among them, the community and hospital sources were 84.2% and 56.3%, respectively, and the AI diagnosis negative rate of community source was higher than that of hospital, and the difference was statistically significant (χ2=113.108, P<0.001). AI diagnosis required referral to DR 20.2% (401/1 989). Among them, community and hospital sources were 6.4% and 24.0%, respectively. The rate of referral for DR for AI diagnosis from community sources was lower than that of hospitals, and the difference was statistically significant (χ2=65.655, P<0.001). There was a statistically significant difference in the composition ratio of patients with different stages of DR diagnosed by AI from different sources (χ2=13.435, P=0.001). Among them, community-derived patients were mainly DR without referral (52.2%, 36/69); hospital-derived patients were mainly DR requiring referral (54.9%, 373/679), and the detection rate of treated DR was higher (14.3%). The first rank of the order of the fundus lesions number automatically identified by AI was drusen (68.4%) and intraretinal hemorrhage (48.5%) in the communities and hospitals respectively. Conclusions It is more suitable for early and negative DR screening for its high non-referral DR detection rate in the community. Whilst referral DR were mainly found in hospital scenario.
ObjectiveTo observe and analyze the macular choroidal thickness and choroidal blood perfusion (CBP) in eyes with idiopathic macular hole (IMH) and their correlation. MethodsA cross-sectional observational clinical study. From March 2019 to October 2021, 60 IMH patients with 60 eyes (IMH group) and 60 healthy volunteers with 60 eyes (control group) who consecutively visited Department of Ophthalmology of The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University were included in the study. Among the 60 eyes in the IMH group, 8, 8, 15, and 29 eyes were at stage Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ, and Ⅳ, respectively. There was no significant difference in age, spherical equivalent power and axial length between the two groups (t=1.327, 0.157, 0.542; P＞0.05). The average macular choriodal thickness (AMCT) and CBP in different regions of the macular region of the examined eye were measured using a swept-frequency light source optical coherence tomography scanner. According to the zoning method for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy, the choroid within 6 mm of the fovea was divided into 3 concentric circles with the fovea as the center. They are the central area with a diameter of 1 mm, the inner ring area of 1-3 mm, and the outer ring area of 3-6 mm; the inner ring area and the outer ring area were divided into 4 areas by 2 radiations respectively, including the upper part of the inner superior (IS), the lower part of the inner inferior (Ⅱ), and the nasal side of the inner nasal (IN), inner temporal (IT), outer superior (OS), outer inferior (OI), outer nasal (ON), outer temporal (OT), a total of 9 regions. The distribution characteristics of AMCT and CBP in different regions were observed. The correlation between AMCT and CBP was analyzed by Pearson correlation; the correlation between AMCT, CBP and IMH stage was analyzed by Spearman correlation. ResultsCompared with the eyes of the control group, the AMCT of the affected eyes in the IMH group was significantly thinner in all areas of the macula, and the difference was statistically significant (t=2.378, 4.641, 2.888, 3.390, 3.575, 4.870, 4.077, 4.946, 4.578; P＜0.05). Compared with the control group, the CBP in the OS and OT regions of the affected eyes in the IMH group was significantly lower, the difference was statistically significant (t=3.424, 4.516; P＜0.05). The results of Pearson correlation analysis showed that there was a significant positive correlation between AMCT and CBP in the OT region (r=0.314, P＜0.001). Spearman correlation analysis showed that there was a significant positive correlation between AMCT and IMH staging in each region (r=0.375, 0.374, 0.289, 0.379, 0.441, 0.392, 0.303, 0.341, 0.292; P＜0.05). There was no significant correlation between CBP and IMH staging in IN, OI and OT regions (r=－0.138, －0.016, －0.221; P＞0.05); CBP and IMH staging in other regions were significantly negatively correlated (r=－0.560, －0.390, －0.819, －0.692, －0.329, －0.587; P＜0.05). ConclusionsThe choroidal thickness in the macular region of the eyes with IMH is significantly thinner than that of the normal subjects; there is choroidal hypoperfusion in local areas. There is a significant positive correlation between local regional AMCT and CBP; IMH stage is higher, the trend of AMCT in each region is thickening, and the CBP in most regions decrease.