To establish a normative database for vascular density (VD) and foveal avascular zone (FAZ) at the superficial (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) in healthy subjects with optical coherence ...tomography (OCT) angiography.
The study was a retrospective chart review of healthy patients who had undergone OCT angiography imaging. A 3- × 3-mm area, centered on the fovea, was scanned for all the study eyes. The automated segmentation allowed separate analysis of the SCP, the DCP, and a comprehensive C-scan including both vascular layers. On the obtained images, VD and FAZ measurements were computed. Interobserver reproducibility and intraobserver repeatability were also assessed.
A total of 135 eyes of 70 subjects (51% male) were analyzed. The mean age was 48.3 ± 17.5. We divided patients into group 1, from 20 to 39 years of age; group 2, from 40 to 59 years; and group 3, age 60 years or older. At the level of the SCP, mean VD and mean FAZ ± SD were, respectively, 52.58 ± 3.22% and 0.28 ± 0.1 mm2. At the level of the DCP, mean VD and mean FAZ were 57.87 ± 2.82% and 0.37 ± 0.12 mm2, respectively. The mean VD was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in DCP compared with SCP in all Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) sectors and in all age groups. Vascular density was higher in women than in men after 60 years (P < 0.01). After adjustment on the signal strength index (SSI), the mean VD remained directly correlated with the age range and sex. The mean FAZ area was lower in group 3 (P < 0.05). Interobserver reproducibility was 0.78 to 0.99 in SCP and 0.67 to 0.92 in DCP, and intraobserver repeatability was 0.64 to 0.93 in SCP and 0.63 to 0.87 in DCP.
Our study has provided, for the first time, age-related VD mapping data using OCT angiography in healthy subjects. The prototype software used in this study may help to improve the concept of VD grading with high inter- and intraexaminer repeatability and interexaminer reproducibility.
To describe the qualitative and quantitative changes in choroidal neovascularization (CNV) flow pattern after anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy, by optical coherence tomography ...angiography (OCTA).
Consecutive patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration underwent multimodal imaging, including OCTA at initial examination and at last visit. High-flow networks in the choriocapillaris segmentation of OCTA were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed at baseline and at follow-up, to characterize vascular flow changes after anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment and to correlate these changes with final exudation signs on spectral domain optical coherence tomography.
Seventeen eyes were included. Mean follow-up was of 11.7 ± 3.3 months. Baseline images showed six medusa pattern (35.3%), four seafan pattern (23.5%), and seven indistinct network patterns (41.2%). Mean CNV area at baseline was 1.58 ± 1.72 mm. Final OCTA images revealed a decrease in CNV total area of 21.6%. In 6/17 eyes, the baseline neovascular pattern was unchanged; these cases were associated with exudation at the final spectral domain optical coherence tomography examination (P = 0.034) and a decrease in CNV area of 34.1%. Conversely, in 11/17 eyes (64.7%), the initial pattern had changed to a pruned vascular tree pattern, with variable exudative status on spectral domain optical coherence tomography at the final visit and a decrease in total CNV area of 0.07%.
The vascular flow remodeling induced by recurrent anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment can be assessed by OCTA. Optical coherence tomography angiography may help to accurately evaluate treatment response and to recognize patterns usually associated with recurrent exudative activity.
Characteristics of patients at risk of developing severe forms of COVID-19 disease have been widely described, but very few studies describe their evolution through the following waves. Data was ...collected retrospectively from a prospectively maintained database from a University Hospital in Paris area, over a year corresponding to the first three waves of COVID-19 in France. Evolution of patient characteristics between non-severe and severe cases through the waves was analyzed with a classical multivariate logistic regression along with a complementary Machine-Learning-based analysis using explainability methods. On 1076 hospitalized patients, severe forms concerned 29% (123/429), 31% (66/214) and 18% (79/433) of each wave. Risk factors of the first wave included old age (≥ 70 years), male gender, diabetes and obesity while cardiovascular issues appeared to be a protective factor. Influence of age, gender and comorbidities on the occurrence of severe COVID-19 was less marked in the 3rd wave compared to the first 2, and the interactions between age and comorbidities less important. Typology of hospitalized patients with severe forms evolved rapidly through the waves. This evolution may be due to the changes of hospital practices and the early vaccination campaign targeting the people at high risk such as elderly and patients with comorbidities.
The gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) consists of isolated or aggregated lymphoid follicles forming Peyer's patches (PPs). By their ability to transport luminal antigens and bacteria, PPs can be ...considered as the immune sensors of the intestine. PPs functions like induction of immune tolerance or defense against pathogens result from the complex interplay between immune cells located in the lymphoid follicles and the follicle-associated epithelium. This crosstalk seems to be regulated by pathogen recognition receptors, especially Nod2. Although TLR exerts a limited role in PP homeotasis, Nod2 regulates the number, size, and T-cell composition of PPs, in response to the gut flora. In turn, CD4+ T-cells present in the PP are able to modulate the paracellular and transcellular permeabilities. Two human disorders, Crohn's disease and graft-versus-host disease are thought to be driven by an abnormal response toward the commensal flora. They have been associated with NOD2 mutations and PP dysfunction.
Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is still an important cause of mortality in children and survivors can have significant long-term disabling sequelae. There are few prospective studies looking at ...the long term neuropsychological and developmental consequences of IMD in surviving children, and the rate of sequelae may be underestimated. The SEINE study aims to have a more reliable estimate of the real rate of sequelae by assessing the long-term physical, neuropsychological, learning disorders and sensory sequelae of IMD in children and adolescents and by assessing the post-traumatic stress in parents.
The SEINE study is a multicentre, prospective, non-randomized, interventional study based on the French bacterial meningitis surveillance network. The study will include 100 children aged from birth to 15 years old, hospitalized in a Paris area paediatric ward for a meningococcal meningitis or a purpura fulminans between 2010 and 2019. The first outcome will assess long-term sequelae (physical, neurological, or sensory) measured by a general clinical and neurological examination, a neurocognitive assessment, learning development, a pure tone audiometry and an ophthalmic examination. The second outcome will assess the long-term post-traumatic stress in parents measured by the Impact of Event Scare Revised questionnaire.
By providing a better estimation of the rate of sequelae in children and offering an adapted follow-up of these children, we believe that the SEINE study will help to improve the management of patients surviving IMD.
NCT04685850.
To evaluate the progression of patchy atrophy in high myopia using semiautomated software for fundus autofluorescence (FAF) analysis.
The medical records and multimodal imaging of 21 consecutive ...highly myopic patients with macular chorioretinal patchy atrophy (PA) were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent repeated fundus autofluorescence and spectral domain optical coherence tomography over at least 12 months. Color fundus photography was also performed in a subset of patients. Total atrophy area was measured on FAF images using Region Finder semiautomated software embedded in Spectralis (Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany) at baseline and during follow-up visits. Region Finder was compared with manually measured PA on FAF images.
Twenty-two eyes of 21 patients (14 women, 7 men; mean age 62.8 + 13.0 years, range 32-84 years) were included. Mean PA area using Region Finder was 2.77 ± 2.91 SD mm at baseline, 3.12 ± 2.68 mm at Month 6, 3.43 ± 2.68 mm at Month 12, and 3.73 ± 2.74 mm at Month 18 (overall P < 0.005); this accounts for PA progression rate of 0.821 mm/year. Atrophy progression was significantly greater among eyes with larger PA compared with smaller baseline PA at Months 6, 12, and 18. There was no statistically significant difference between semiautomated Region Finder PA area and manually measured PA area on FAF images.
Fundus autofluorescence analysis by Region Finder semiautomated software provides accurate measurements of lesion area and allows us to quantify the progression of PA in high myopia. In our series, PA enlarged significantly over at least 12 months, and its progression seemed to be related to the lesion size at baseline.
Hyperimmunoglobulinemia D is the less severe form of mevalonate kinase deficiency (MKD) caused by recessive inherited mutation in the mevalonate kinase gene. Hyperimmunoglobulinemia D is ...characterized by febrile attacks, often associated with transient digestive manifestations, such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting. Here we report for the first time 2 patients with MKD revealed by severe neonatal colitis. Both patients had chronic bloody diarrhea and failure to thrive; 1 patient since the age of 1 month and the other since the age of 12 days. Total parenteral nutrition was required. A marked elevation of acute phase reactants was present, and no evidence of infection was found. In patient 1, ileocolonoscopy revealed ulcerative colitis at the age of 5 months. Patient 2 suffered from enterocolitis and shock, associated with multiple bowel adhesions at age 5 weeks; the rectosigmoidoscopy showed aphtoid lesions of the sigmoid colon. Pathologic findings of colonic biopsies revealed a dense polymorph inflammatory infiltrate associated with deep ulcerations. Febrile attacks occurred 2 months after the onset of digestive symptoms in patient 1, and at onset of disease in patient 2. Genomic sequencing of the mevalonate kinase gene revealed compound heterozygous mutations in both patients. Anti-interleukin-1 agent produced long-term remission of all digestive features and laboratory parameters. This report emphasizes that MKD may be the cause of severe early-onset inflammatory colitis, and must be considered by physicians, even in the absence of fever, after ruling out infections. Anti-interleukin-1 therapy may result in a dramatic improvement of MKD-related inflammatory bowel disease.
(1) Background: While goat milk formula (GMF) is an alternative to cow milk formula (CMF), infants’ preferences for one over the other have not been formally assessed. Specifically, our aim in this ...study was to determine whether infants experience fewer feeding behavior problems with whole milk-based GMF than with conventional whey-based CMF. (2) Methods: This was a multicenter, double-blind, randomized controlled trial with two-arm parallel assignment conducted in six pediatricians’ offices in or near Paris, France, between June 2018 and 31 December 2021. Overall, 64 healthy infants (≤4 months old), predominantly formula-fed, were randomly assigned to either the whole milk-based GMF (n = 33) or whey-based CMF (n = 31) arm. Parents completed the Baby Eating Behavior Questionnaire (BEBQ) and the modified QUALIN questionnaire to evaluate infant feeding behavior and quality of life (psychomotor and socioemotional development), respectively, at inclusion (1 to 5 days before milk delivery) and the final visit (day 28 ± 3 after milk delivery). Informed consent was obtained for all recruited patients, and an ethical committee approved the study. (3) Results: Changes in BEBQ Enjoyment of Food and Slowness in Eating subscale scores from inclusion to final visit did not differ between arms. However, there were significant improvements in subscale scores for Food Responsiveness (GMF: 0.15 ± 1; CMF: −0.48 ± 0.81; p = 0.010) and General Appetite (GMF: 0.26 ± 1.2; CMF: −0.48 ± 0.88; p = 0.012), and modified QUALIN (GMF: 4.6 ± 9.4; CMF: −0.40 ± 7.6; p = 0.03) scores in favor of the GMF group. (4) Conclusions: In this double-blind, randomized controlled trial, GMF-fed infants exhibited a greater general appetite than CMF-fed infants, possibly due to differences in the composition of these formulas (i.e., protein and lipid profiles). In addition, GMF-fed infants enjoyed a better quality of life. There was no difference in food enjoyment between groups. These findings suggest that whole-milk-based GMF could be an attractive alternative to whey-based CMF. Clinical trial registration: NCT03488758 (clinicaltrials.gov).
Despite several years of guidance on infant feeding, there has been only a slight change in consumer compliance. Therefore, this study aimed to analyse parents feeding practices, explore physicians' ...advice about infant feeding and subsequent parent's adherence to advice.
A multicentric cross-sectional qualitative and descriptive self-report online study was conducted in volunteers to participate in the study.
Fifty-four physicians (paediatricians and general practitioners) and 600 parents of infants were recruited. Of the infants, 20.2% presented at inclusion with at least one type of functional gastrointestinal disorder. The breastfeeding prevalence was quite low (37.3%). The main initial deviance from guidelines said they observed in infant feeding was the early use of cow's milk. More than two-thirds of infants older than 8 months were drinking cow's milk. The introduction of solid foods was globally in line with recommendations. Most physicians gave advice about the different aspects of infant feeding but were seeking more information, as did the parents. A discrepancy between the physicians' statements and the parents' perceptions was observed. However the majority (95.4%) of parents reported that they followed totally or partially the advice received, especially by abandoning subsequently the use of cow's milk in favour of a formula. The main reason for not adhering to the advice was that they did not consider it suitable for their infant and they preferred to rely on their feelings or recommendations from familiars.
This survey provides good insights into parents' infant feeding practices together with the advice given by their doctor. The gap between practices and current guidelines is notable only for breast-feeding and use of formula. Despite several guidelines professionals and parents seek nutrition information. It highlights the need to deliver consistent, relevant, and less confusing messages about infant feeding.
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