Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic inflammatory disease associated with a number of extra-articular organ manifestations. Ocular manifestations involved with RA are keratoconjunctivitis sicca, episcleritis, scleritis , corneal changes, and retinal vasculitus. The etiopathogenesis of this autoimmune disorder is still unknown. Aim of our study was to present different ocular manifestations of RA and their frequency. We have examined 691 patient with the diagnoses of RA. All examined patients were in I or II stage of the disease according to criteria of The American College of Rheumatology. Ophthalmological exam obtained: visual acuity by Snellen sings, biomicroscopy of anterior segment, Schirmer test, tear break-up time (BUT), applanation tonometry and indirect ophthalmoscopy. In all patients with retinal vasculitis fotofundus and in indicated cases fluorescein angiography was preformed. The most common manifestation of ocular involvement was keratoconjunctivitis sicca. Episcleritis was diagnosed in 5.06% patients with RA, while scleritis was present in 2.06% of patients. Diffuse scleritis was present in one patient, while nodular was present in 13 patients. There were no patients with posterior or necrotizing scleritis among examined patients. Sclerosing keratitis was diagnosed in 11 female patients. It is characterized with peripheral thickening and opacification of the stroma adjacent to the site of inflammation. Posterior scleritis or scleromalacia of cornea was not present in our patients, because all of them were in I or II stage of disease. Retinal vasculitis was present in three patients, two male and one female patient (0.45%). Ocular manifestation was present in 27.2% of patients. Women were more affected.

It has been demonstrated that administration of high concentrations of monosodium glutamate (MSG), induce oxidative stress in different organs, but not in thymus. In the present study we examined the role of oxidative stress in MSG-induced thymocyte apoptosis. MSG was administrated intraperitoneally (4 mg/g of body weight) for six consecutive days. Animals were sacrificed at 1st, 7th, and 15th day after last MSG dose. MSG administration to animals significantly increased apoptotic rate of thymocytes (P < 0.01), together with significant increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) level (P < 0.001) and xanthine oxidase (XO) activity (P < 0.01), in time dependent manner. Catalase activity, during examination period, was significantly decreased (0 < 0.01). Obtained results showed that MSG treatment induced oxidative stress in thymus, which may have an important role in thymocyte apoptosis induced by MSG.

The aim of our study was to compare levels of antioxidative agent -total SH groups and the final product of lipid peroxidation- malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum, and glutathione (GSH) and MDA in nucleocortical parts of lens after extracapsular extraction of cataract. Patient were (38 with cataract and 38 controls) matched by sex and years of life. Diagnosis of cataract was established by complete ocular examination. All results are expressed as mean ± S.D. A Student's t-test was used to estimate differences between the groups. The level of significance was p<0.05. Total sulfhydryl groups were determined in serum by the method of Ellman as well as GSH content in nucleocortical parts of lenses using the method of Sedlak and Lindsay. Lipid peroxidation, evidenced by formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), was determined in nucleocortical parts of the lens and in serum. Our results show a statistical significance in concentration of total SH groups (225.37±82.19µmol/L, controls 311.03±60.37µmol/L p<0.05) and MDA (20.24±8.12, and controls 8.73±2.53µmol/L, p<0,001) in serum among patients with age related cataract and controls. There was no statistical significance in concentration of total SH groups and MDA in serum among patients with different type of age related cataract and in nucleocortical parts of lens. The present study concludes that there is a statistical significance in concentration of total SH groups and MDA in serum among patients with age related cataract and controls, but there were no statistical significance in concentration of GSH and MDA in serum and nucleocortical parts of lens in patient with different type of cataract.

TGF beta1 and MMP-2 affect the degree of chamber angle pigmentation and the degree of pseudoexfoliation in patients with pseudoexfoliative glaucoma.

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