The aim of the present study was to evaluate plasma total homocysteine (Hcys) and serum fibrinogen concentrations in subclinical hypothyroid (SH) and overt hypothyroid patients before and after L-thyroxine (LT4) replacement and to compare them in euthyroid subjects. Fifteen SH and 20 hypothyroid premenopausal women were recruited in the study. We measured fasting plasma levels of Hcys and serum levels of free thyroxine (fT4), free triiodothyronine (fT3), thyrotropin (TSH), folate, vitamin B12, fibrinogen, renal functions, and lipid profiles in patients with SH and overt hypothyroid patients before and after LT4 treatment. Eleven healthy women were included in the study as a control group. Pretreatment Hcys levels were similar in SH and control subjects, whereas mean fibrinogen level of SH patients was higher than that of control subjects (p<0.05). Baseline Hcys (p<0.01) and fibrinogen (p<0.001) levels of the overt hypothyroid patients were significantly higher than those of the healthy subjects, and the pretreatment Hcys levels decreased with LT4 treatment (p<0.001). In conclusion, our data support that SH is not associated with hyperhomocysteinemia and Hcys does not appear to contribute to the increased risk for atherosclerotic disease in patients with SH.
Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Female ; Fibrinogen/biosynthesis ; Folic Acid/blood ; Homocysteine/*blood ; Humans ; Hypothyroidism/*blood/*diagnosis ; Kidney/metabolism ; Middle Aged ; Thyrotropin/blood ; Thyroxine/*blood ; Triiodothyronine/blood ; Vitamin B 12/blood

PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcomes of 5-year ranibizumab treatment in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) in a single center and real life clinical setting. METHODS: The records of nAMD patients who were treated with ranibizumab between January 2010 and June 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients who completed 5 years of follow-up were included. Main outcome measures were change in best-corrected visual acuity, central retinal thickness, and visit and injection numbers. RESULTS: Forty-four eyes of 37 patients were included. Mean best-corrected visual acuity decreased from 0.82 ± 0.69 to 1.11 ± 0.65 logarithm of minimal angle of resolution after 5 years. Twenty-four eyes (54.5%) had visual acuity loss ≥3 lines, and 20 eyes (45.5%) had stable or improved vision (loss <3 lines, remained stable, or gained ≥1 line) at month 60. The mean total number of visits was 25.3 ± 5.8 (range, 14 to 42), and the mean total number of injections was 12.6 ± 6.4 (range, 3 to 26) at month 60. CONCLUSIONS: Half of the ranibizumab-treated nAMD patients maintained their vision during the 5 years of follow-up. Visit and injection numbers were found to be lower than in prospective studies, reflecting a real world clinical practice.
Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Macular Degeneration* ; Outcome Assessment (Health Care) ; Prospective Studies ; Ranibizumab* ; Retinaldehyde ; Retrospective Studies ; Visual Acuity