PURPOSE: Although the effectiveness of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) for panic disorder (PD) has been studied previously, data on the predictors of treatment outcomes in MBCT for PD are scarce. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty patients with PD were screened to analyze treatment outcomes such as MBCT completion, treatment response, and remission after undergoing MBCT for PD. Sociodemographic characteristics, comorbid personality disorders, and baseline medication doses were examined. The study administered the Panic Disorder Severity Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Anxiety Sensitivity Inventory-Revised to patients at baseline and at eight weeks. RESULTS: Sixty-five participants were enrolled in the present study. Comorbid personality disorder was significantly associated with MBCT non-completion. We found that anxiety sensitivity (AS) improvement after an eight week MBCT program was a statistically significant factor associated with treatment response. Using logistic regression analysis, AS improvement after MBCT showed significant association with PD remission after MBCT. CONCLUSION: Comorbid personality disorders of participants could be a potential predictor of MBCT non-completion. Furthermore, AS improvement after MBCT may predict treatment response and remission after MBCT for PD. However, better designed studies with a larger number of patients are needed to confirm our findings.
Adult ; Cognitive Therapy/*methods ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mindfulness/*methods ; Panic Disorder/*therapy ; Socioeconomic Factors ; Young Adult

To measure the optic disc diamete and area in enucleated human eyes, thirty-three enucleated human eyes (20 men, 13 women), with a mean age of 44.2+/-17.7 years (+/-standard deviation; range 8 -74 years), were studied. After enucleation, the globes were immediately fixed in a solution of 10% formalin, were bisected through the optic nerve head and specimens were stained with hematoxylin-eosin. The slides were histomorphometerically evaluated with a light microscope. Each disc was measureed vertically and horizontally on a macrophotograph of the whole specimens with an aligned micromete scale. For correction preparation-induced shrinkage factor, one specimen was measured on the unfixed state. Compared to values obtained in unfixed specimens, preparation-induced shrinkage factor was 6.5% Mean maximal and minimal diameters of the optic disc were 2.16+/-0.15mm (range 1.38 -3.25mm) and 1.79+/-0.44mm (range 1.06 -2.90mm), rrespectively. Mean area of the optic disc was 3.20+/-1.58mm2(range 1.15 - 7.40mm2). These practical values of the optic disc diameter and area may be the important standard units to the further quantiative optic nerve studies.
Formaldehyde ; Glaucoma ; Humans* ; Male ; Optic Disk ; Optic Nerve

To examine prospectively the efficacy and reliability of excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy for myopia. we treated 147 eyes of 86 patients with a VisX Twenty/Twenty excimer laser and followed them up for 1 year and follow up 48 eyes of 26 patients for 2 years. The patients were divided into two groups with preoperative myopia: group 1 with diopters between -1.50 and -6.00, group 2 with diopters between -6.01 and -10.00. At 1 year, the group 1 with a mean preoperative refractive error of -4.61D changed to -0.40D, the group 2 changed from -7.50D to -0.92D. At 2 years, the group 1 with a mean preoperative refractive error of -4.28D changed to -0.41D, the group 2 changed from -7.75D to -1.04D. At 1 yera, in group 1, 90.91% (70 of 77) of eyes and in group 2, 64.29%(45 of 70) of eyes were corrected within 1D of intended refraction,respectively. At 1 years, in group 1, 94.81% (73 of 77) of eyes and in group 2, 84.29%(59 of 70) of eyes achieved an uncorrected visual acuity of 0.5 or better. And at 2 years, in group 1, 81.82% (18 of 22)of eyes, and in group 2, 50.00% (13 of 26) of eyes were corrected within 1D of intended refraction, respectively. At 2 years, in group 1, 95.50% (21% of 22) of eyes and in group 2, 84.62%(22 of 26) of eyes achieved an uncorrected visual acuity of 0.5 or better.
Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Lasers, Excimer* ; Myopia* ; Photorefractive Keratectomy* ; Prospective Studies ; Refractive Errors ; Visual Acuity

To prospectively examine the predictability of excimer laser photorefractive keratectomy for compound myopic astigmatism, we treated 107 eyes of 70 patients with a VisX Twenty/Twenty excimer laser and followed them up for 12 months. Patients were divided into three groups with preoperative myopia: group 1 with diopters of -6.00 or less, group 2 with diopters between -6.01 and -10.00, and group 3 with diopters greater than -10.00. Also, two groups of patients were evaluated with preoperative astigmatism: group I with -2.00 diopters or less and group II with greater than -2.00 diopters. At 12 months group1, with amean preoperative refractive error of -4.332D, changed to -0.19D, group 2 changed from -7.35D to -0.66D, and group 3 changed from -11.72D to -1.23D. Group I with a mean preoperative refractive error of -1.22D changed to -0.55D, while group II changed from -2.63D to -0.77D. Finally, 85% of eyes with preoperative spherical equivalent diopters of -6.00 or less, 65% of eyes between -6.01 and -10.00D, and 42% of eyes greater than -10.00D were corrected within 1D of intended refraction, respectively.
Astigmatism* ; Follow-Up Studies* ; Humans ; Lasers, Excimer* ; Myopia ; Photorefractive Keratectomy* ; Prospective Studies ; Refractive Errors

A study of histopathologic changes, ultrastructure, and expression of the HLA-Dr antigen within the giant papillae of patients with giant papillary conjunctivitis was performed to determine whether cell-mediated immune response is related to this condition. Conjunctival giant papillae from ten patients with giant papillary conjunctivitis were examined by light and electron microscopy and by the indirect immunofluorescent staining method with HLA-Dr antibody. The infiltration of eosinophilic neutrophils and granules was most prominent, with the occasional infiltration of mast cells, as shown by light microscopy. The infiltration of activated fibroblasts and Langerhans cells was also observed. Cells expressing HLA-Dr antigen were also markedly increased, as shown by the immunofluorescent method. These findings suggest that delayed hypersensitivity may, along with the processes of antigen presentation by HLA-Dr-expressing (including Langerhans) cells, contribute to the pathogenesis of giant papillary conjunctivitis.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Conjunctiva/metabolism/*ultrastructure ; Conjunctivitis, Allergic/*metabolism/*pathology ; Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect ; HLA-DR Antigens/*biosynthesis ; Humans ; Immunity, Cellular ; Langerhans Cells/*ultrastructure ; Microscopy, Electron ; Middle Aged

The measurement of the area of the optic disc is important to classification of congenital anomaly of optic disc and diagnosis and following up of glaucoma. This study was performed to measure easily the diameter and area of the optic disc using the retinal scale of the Volk lens although recently the study was reported to measure the optic disc with computerized optic disc analysis system. We evaluated the measurement of the diameter and area of the optic disc of 31 patients(56 eyes) using the retinal scale of Volk lens and then corrected the magnification of central fundus photographs using Litmann's method. The mean refractive power and the mean axial length was -0.24 diopter(range -4.5 to 4.25 diopter), and 22.91 mm (range 20.5 to 26.1mm), respectively. The mean horizontal diameter, the mean verticaI diameter, and the mean area of optic disc was 1.75 +/- 0.18mm, 1.90 +/- 0.19mm, and 2.62 +/- 0.50mm2, respectively. We think that the measurement of the optic disc area with Volk lens is useful method in following up of cup-disc ratio in outpatient basis.
Classification ; Diagnosis ; Glaucoma ; Humans ; Outpatients ; Retinaldehyde

The whole retina, except for the medullary fiber zone in a rabbit eye, is supplied by choroidal circulation. Therefore, the histopathological changes of the sensory retina due to choroidal circulatory disturbance in rabbits may be comparable to that of the human sensory retina in the case of ophthalmic artery occlusion. This study was carried out to evaluate the histopathological changes of the ischemic retina secondary to the occlusion of choroidal circulation. The experimental occlusion of all posterior ciliary arteries and anterior ciliary arteries in the horizontal rectus muscle of rabbit eyes was performed and the subsequent histopathological changes of the sensory retina were observed by transmission electron microscopy. The morphological changes of the sensory retina following the occlusion of the ciliary arterial system are as follows: severe loss of the inner and outer segments of the photoreceptor, mild to moderate degeneration of the ganglion cells, and excellent preservation of the Muller's cell fibers and the extension of the cytoplasmic villous processes to the cytoplasmic vacuolar spaces of other degenerated cells. These findings indicate that the Muller's fibers in the ischemic condition of retina might contribute to the formation of gliosis or scarring of a damaged retina.
Animals ; Arterial Occlusive Diseases/*complications ; Arteries ; Choroid/*blood supply ; Ciliary Body/*blood supply ; Ischemia/*etiology/pathology ; Rabbits ; Retina/*ultrastructure ; *Retinal Vessels

This study was performed to investigate the sequential changes of the retinal tissue in tissue culture condition. The human sensory retinal tissues were cultured for up to 2 weeks and 4 weeks, respectively. The initial changes showed the separation of the intercellular space and the consequent widening of the intercellular space with prolapse of cytoplasmic processes into the widened intercellular space. The internal limiting membrane was also separated from the inner retina, which led to the prolapse of the cytoplasm of the Muller cell. The growth of the Muller cell was most prominent during the 4-weeks' tissue culture period. These findings suggest that the Muller cell might contribute to the formation of cellular membrane in case of the defect of the internal limiting membrane in several pathologic conditions.
Adult ; Cell Membrane/ultrastructure ; Cells, Cultured ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neuroglia/*ultrastructure ; Retina/*ultrastructure

The retinal and choroidal blood vessels respond independently to the abruptly increased arterial pressure due to their differences in the anatomic and physiologic properties, which induce hypertensive retinopathy and hypertensive choroidopathy respectively. The authors reviewed the fluorescein angiogram retrospectively to observe the ischemic changes of the choroid in 15 cases of hypertensive choroidopathy. The ischemic changes of the choroid in hypertensive choroidopathy were characterized by generalized or sectorial filling delay which was followed by staining or leakage of dye. These findings suggest that the choroidal circulation may lead to the sectorial and generalized ischemic conditions following the abruptly increased arterial pressure due to their differences in the anatomic structures. The fluorescein angiographic findings in the hypertensive choroidopathy depend on both the degree of the circulatory disturbance and the levels of the affected choroidal vessels.
Arterial Pressure ; Blood Vessels ; Choroid ; Fluorescein Angiography* ; Fluorescein* ; Hypertensive Retinopathy ; Retinaldehyde ; Retrospective Studies

This study was performed to observe the retinal changes in rabbits by intravitreal inoculation of HSV-1. The solution of HSV-1 virus(Kos strain) was inoculated into the vitreous cavity in 5 eyes. All the eyes were checked with a slit lamp and an indirect ophthalmoscope. Two eyes that showed the retinal lesion were enucleated for the histopathologic examination. The focal infiltration of inflammatory cells was marked around the retinal vessels in one eye and there was the diffuse infiltration of plasma cells and lymphocytes in the choroid and the retina in the other eye. The pattern of proliferation and migration of retinal pigment epithelial cells was observed at the outer retina. The virus-infected nuclei were evident in the photoreceptor cells and ganglion cells. The viral particles and intranuclear inclusion were prominent in the deformed nuclei and free-floating viral particle was shown at the extracellular space of the necrotic retina. These results suggest that the intravitreal inoculation of HSV-1 might induce retinal necrosis. The inflammatory reactions was initiated at the vitreoretinal interface and perivascular area. Virus might be propagated through axons or infected cell from free-flating virus.
Axons ; Choroid ; Epithelial Cells ; Extracellular Space ; Ganglion Cysts ; Herpes Simplex* ; Herpesvirus 1, Human ; Intranuclear Inclusion Bodies ; Lymphocytes ; Necrosis* ; Ophthalmoscopes ; Photoreceptor Cells ; Plasma Cells ; Rabbits ; Retina ; Retinal Vessels ; Retinaldehyde* ; Simplexvirus ; Virion