Epidemiological and clinical features of paediatric open globe injuries in southwestern Turkey

AIM:To evaluate the epidemiologic,anatomic,and clinical features of open globe injuries in children.METHODS:The medical files of patients under the age of 16 who had been operated for an open globe injury at Akdeniz University Hospital’s Department of Ophthalmology were retrospectively evaluated.RESULTS:A total of 90 patients were evaluated in this study.Among these patients,26(28.9%)were female and64(71.1%)were male.The mean age of the patients was7.7±4.2 years.The male/female ratio was observed to increase with increasing age(P=0.006,P=7.48).Injuries were most likely to occur in spring and autumn(P=0.028).The time interval between the injury and the surgical repair was 9.36±27.4h.Forty(44.4%)of the injuries occurred in the home,27(30%)occurred in the yard,and 21(23.3%)happened while playing in the street.The most common causes of injury were sharp metal objects(P【0.001).Injury to the cornea occurred in47(52.2%)of the patients(P【0.001).The most common complication to occur was cataract formation.Additional operations were necessary for 37(41.1%)of the patients.The final visual acuity was correlated with both the initial visual acuity of the wounded eye prior to surgery and the length of the wound(P【0.001,r=0.502 and P【0.001,r=-0.442,respectively).CONCLUSION:Open globe injuries that are suffered in childhood generally occur either at home,in the yard,or on the street,with sharp metal objects being the most common cause of injury.The initial visual acuity and the length of the wound are the most important determinants of the final visual acuity.

A novel mutation of SGK-1 gene in central serous chorioretinopathy

AIM: To investigate the association of serum glucocorticoid kinase gene-1(SGK-1) DNA variants with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy(CSC).METHODS: We enrolled 32 eyes of 32 patients who were diagnosed with chronic CSC and composed 32 normal eyes as a control group. Peripheral blood was used for DNA extraction and polymerase chain reaction amplification. SGK1 gene was sequenced by using Big Dye Terminator v3.1 cycle sequencing Kit(Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA, USA). The SGK-1 gene and its variants were investigated in CSC patient group and control group.RESULTS: We identified a new polymorphism M32 V in two person in the patient group [Minor allele frequency(MAF) =0.009] on the region of 1-60 amino acids. The rs1057293 was located in the encoder region of the SGK- 1 gene but not associated with CSC(P =0.68). An intrinsic rs1743966 is also not associated(P =0.28).CONCLUSION: The new polymorphism M32 V is located on the region of 1-60 amino acids which is necessary for localization to the mitochondria in CSC patient. This mutation is probably important for the energy metabolism and plays an important role in the cellular response to hyperosmotic stress and other stress stimuli. Both rs1057293 and rs1743966 are not associated with CSC.