The purpose of this research is to study the intraocular occurrence of SARS-CoV-2. In postmortem examinations, aqueous humor and the vitreous samples were collected. All individuals were previously positive in nasopharyngeal swabbing and cause of death was respiratory failure due to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Testing was done using quantitative RT-PCR. We included 16 aqueous humor and 16 vitreous samples for PCR testing. None of the results was positive for SARS-CoV-2. Human GAPDH genes to verify the presence of RNA was present in all aqueous humor samples (16/16, 100%) and 15/16 (93.8%) vitreous samples. In conclusion, this case series found no evidence of SARS-CoV-2 in the intraocular milieu.

To report on Acanthamoeba keratitis cases in a tertiary university eye-hospital in Graz, Austria, over a 21-year period. Retrospective study. Parameters included demographics, diagnostics, clinical courses, medical therapies, surgical interventions, secondary complications, and best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA). Patient records for 44 eyes of 42 patients were analysed; 2 bilateral infections. Mean age at presentation was 31 ± 13 (16–65) years; contact lenses were used in 41 of 44 eyes (93.2%). Symptoms at initial presentation were mainly pain (41/43, 95.3%) and photophobia (16/43, 37.2%). Most frequent morphological findings were stromal infiltrates (30/44, 68.2%). Diagnosis was mainly confirmed by smears (40/42, 95.2%) and polymerase chain reaction (8/42, 19%). Antiamoebic treatment comprised biguanides and diamidines. Penetrating keratoplasty was performed in 10/44 (22.7%) eyes. Median time from symptom onset to initial visit was 2 (0–26) weeks; median follow-up was 30 (2–1008) weeks. BSCVA improved in 23/36 (63.9%) eyes, remained unchanged in 6/36 (16.7%) eyes and deteriorated in 7/36 (19.4%) eyes. Acanthamoeba keratitis predominantly occurs in young contact lens wearers. Diagnosis should be considered in patients with pain and stromal infiltrates. In the majority of cases, BSCVA can be improved. Early diagnosis and adequate treatment should be implemented to prevent complications.

Background Millions of people have now been vaccinated against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2). However, it is still unclear which antibody levels provide protection against mortality. It is further unknown whether measuring antibody concentrations on hospital admission allows for identifying patients with a high risk of mortality. Objectives To evaluate whether anti‐SARS‐CoV2‐spike antibodies on hospital admission predict in‐hospital mortality in patients with coronavirus disease 2019. Methods We conducted a prospective, multicentre cohort study on 1152 hospitalized patients who tested positive for SARS‐CoV‐2 with a polymerase chain reaction–based assay. Patients were classified by vaccination status. Anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 spike antibodies were determined on hospital admission. The investigated end point was in‐hospital mortality for any cause. Results Spike antibodies on hospital admission were significantly lower in non‐survivors in both non‐vaccinated (73 U/ml, 95%CI 0–164 vs. 175 U/ml, 95%CI 124–235, p = 0.002) and vaccinated patients (1056 U/ml, 95%CI 701–1411 vs. 1668 U/ml, 95%CI 1580–1757, p < 0.001). Further, spike antibodies were significantly lower in fully vaccinated and boostered patients who died compared to those who survived (mean 883 U/ml, 95%CI 406–1359 vs. 1292 U/ml, 95%CI 1152–1431, p = 0.017 and 1485 U/ml, 95%CI 836–2133 vs. 2050 U/ml, 95%CI 1952–2149, p = 0.036). Patients infected with the currently prevailing Omicron variant were three times more likely to die if spike antibodies were <1200 U/ml (OR 3.458, 95%CI 1.562–7.656, p = 0.001). After adjusting for potential confounders, this value increased to an aOR of 4.079 (95%CI 1.809–9.198, p < 0.001). Conclusion Anti‐SARS‐CoV2 spike‐antibody levels on hospital admission are inversely associated with in‐hospital mortality. Hospitalized patients with lower antibody levels have a higher risk of mortality.

Purpose: Oxidative stress and inflammation have been implicated in the development of retinal vein occlusion (RVO). Oxidation-specific epitopes (OSEs) represent products of oxidative stress that can trigger vascular inflammation and thrombosis. Natural occurring antibodies have been shown to bind oxidation-specific epitopes thereby inhibiting their inflammatory potential and promoting their removal.Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study included 270 patients with RVO and 81 in-hospital control patients. We measured three types of serum levels of oxidation-specific epitope-specific immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin G antibodies (anti-copper-oxidized LDL [CuOx-LDL], antiphosphocholine [PC], anti-malondialdehyde-modified LDL [MDA-LDL]). History of arterial hypertension, hyperlipidemia, myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus, stroke, smoking status, and several laboratory parameters were determined to control for potential confounders.Results: Compared with controls, patients with RVO had significantly lower levels of immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin G antibodies against CuOx-LDL and PC, and significantly lower levels of immunoglobulin G but not immunoglobulin M antibodies against MDA-LDL. The association between RVO patients and lower levels of these antibodies prevailed upon multivariable adjustment.Conclusion: These prospective data show that antibodies against oxidation-specific epitope are lower in patients with RVO compared with control patients and support the concept that oxidative stress and inflammation play key roles in the development and subsequent complications in RVO.

PurposeThere exists remarkable variation in definitions for the location of the center of a keratoconus. The objective of this study was to analyze deviations between locations obtained by different tomographic maps for that purpose. Furthermore, it was investigated whether these deviations are influenced by disease severity.MethodsIn 162 eyes with keratoconus, corneal tomographic maps derived by Scheimpflug technology were retrospectively analyzed to determine the cone location with 5 different methods: maximum axial curvature of the front surface (Kmax), maximum tangential curvature of the front surface (tKmax), minimum pachymetry (Pachymin), maximum elevation of the front surface (ELEF), and maximum elevation of the back surface (ELEB). Distances between the locations were calculated and tested for a correlation with keratoconus severity and distance between cone and corneal vertex.ResultsCone locations derived from the curvature maps (Kmax, tKmax) showed the lowest agreement with the locations determined by pachymetry or elevation maps. The largest distances were found between Kmax and Pachymin [Median and Interquartile range: 1.19 mm (0.87, 1.60)], Kmax and ELEB [1.12 mm (0.79, 1.41)], and Kmax and ELEF [0.97 mm (0.64, 1.27)]. Low distances (&lt;0.5 mm) were calculated between ELEB and ELEF, and ELEB and Pachymin. All of the calculated distances between the locations showed a significant negative correlation with keratoconus severity and most of them increased significantly with a more peripheral position of the cone (p &lt; 0.05).ConclusionsThere was low consistency between different methods for describing the location of a keratoconus. Curvature-based determinations of the cone center (Kmax, tKmax) showed the highest deviations and should not be used for that purpose. However, the discrepancies between different cone location methods diminished with increasing disease severity and more central position of the cone.

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Precis: Tape sealing of the face mask can prevent fogging artifacts of visual field testing. Here, we demonstrate that tape sealing can improve visual field scores even when fogging artifacts are not obvious. Purpose:The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that visual field scores improve when the face masks are taped to prevent fogging artifacts.Methods: A Single-center, randomized 2×2 cross-over study. Twenty-six visual fields of 13 patients of the glaucoma outpatient clinic were included. Patients were randomized in either sequence 1 (Octopus visual field examination without tape sealing, followed by examination with tape sealing) or sequence 2 (examination with, followed by without tape sealing). Results:The results for mean defect and square root of loss variance differ significantly in the examination with and without tape sealing [mean difference (without−with) 0.39 dB, 95% confidence interval: 0.07-0.70 dB, P = 0.018 and 0.49 dB, 95% confidence interval: 0.19-0.79 dB, P = 0.003, respectively]. There was no sequence effect (P = 0.967) for mean defect nor the square root of loss variance (P = 0.779). A significant effect for period (P = 0.023) for mean defect was yielded. Conclusion:Tape sealing of face masks during visual field testing prevented fogging artifacts and improved visual field scores even when fogging artifacts were not obvious and should be considered in clinical practice.

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