Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs have become the firstline medications for the treatment of choroidal neovascularization (CNV). Its efficacy and safety have been confirmed by evidence-based medicine and a large number of clinical studies. However there are several issues need to be discussed before reaching a consensus for the clinical application of anti-VEGF drugs. These issues include, but not limited to the individual treatment regimen for different CNV lesions, the best anti-VEGF drug regimen, the indications and schemes of combination therapy, the factors affecting the efficacy, the potential risks of systemic and local deliveries. How to establish a reasonable personalized regimen of anti-VEGF drugs is the 1st issue need to be explored. Ranibizumab will come into China market soon. We need utilize the existing evidence-based medical research findings; take our advantages of rich resources of patients to investigate those issues to further promote the anti-VEGF applications in China.
We reviewed 44 eyes of pseudophakic(PC-IOL)retinal detackment in which 12 eyes had their posterior lenticular capsules broken,7 of them during the operation and 5 after postoperative YAG laser eapsulotomy.Eleven of the 12 eyes (91.7%) had their retinal detached within 1 year after cataract extraction associated with Intraocular lens implantation,and 18 eyes in 32 eyes(56.3%) with intact po6terior lenticular capsules had their retinae detached within 1 year.The difference between the above conditions was statistically significant (Plt;0.05), Thirty-six of 44 eyes(81.8%) had their detached retinae reattaehed after surgical treatmint. And we found that advanced proliferative vitroretinopethy and failure of detection of retinal breaks played important role for failure of surgical treatment in this series. （Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis,1994,10:74-76）
Diabetic macular edema (DME) is one of the common causes of visual impairment. Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has become the preferred therapy for DME because of significant visual improvement. Early and intensive anti-VEGF therapy combined with other individualized treatments are currently the main strategy for DME treatment. Considering the complexity of DME and limitations of anti-VEGF therapy, there are still many problems and difficulties in the treatment of DME. Optimizing treatment strategies, strengthening management of the clinical course and developing new drugs, could improve the efficacy and maintain the improvement of visual acuity and visual performance.
The therapeutic effect of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) was determined by a number of factors. Comprehensive thorough analysis of clinical features, imaging results and treatment response can predict the potential efficacy and possible vision recovery for the patient, and also can optimize the treatment regime to make a personalized therapy plan. Precise medicine with data from genomics, proteomics and metabolomics study will provide more objective and accurate biology basis for individual precise treatment. The future research should focus on comprehensive assessment of factors affecting the efficacy of anti-VEGF therapy, to achieve individualized precise diagnosis and treatment, to improve the therapeutic outcome of nAMD.
ObjectiveTo observe the efficacy and safety of combined photodynamic therapy (PDT) with intravitreal ranibizumab injection in patients with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). MethodsTwenty-four PCV patients (24 eyes) were enrolled in this retrospective case study.All patients were assessed by the examinations of Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) visual acuity chart, color fundus photography, fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) and optic coherence tomography (OCT). The mean visual acuity was (33.41±19.43) letters; the mean macular retinal thickness was (343.63±88.60) μm. Patients received PDT first, and intravitreal injected ranibizumab 0.5 mg (0.05 ml) 72 hours later. Treatments were repeated as a single intravitreal injection of ranibizumab combined with or without PDT if the monthly follow-up indicated that it was necessary. The average follow-up period was 13.1 months. The average treatment times were analyzed for each eye. Systemic and ocular adverse events were observed. Visual acuity, macular retinal thickness and leakage of PCV before and after the treatment were analyzed. ResultsIntravitreal ranibizumab injections was repeated (2.8±1.6) times per eye on average, and intravitreal injection of ranibizumab combined with PDT was repeated (0.4±0.5) times per eye on average. No systemic and ocular adverse effects were found during and after combined therapy. In the last follow-up, the mean visual acuity of ETDRS was (44.21±17.24) letters, improved by 10.8 letters (t=-4.77, P<0.01).Visual acuity was improved in 11 eyes (45.8%) and stable in 13 eyes (54.2%). FFA and ICGA showed complete closed PCV in 17 eyes (70.8%), partial closed PCV in 7 eyes (29.2%). OCT image showed that the retinal edema was disappeared in 19 eyes (79.2%) and alleviated in 5 eyes (20.8%). The mean macular retinal thickness was (171.33±38.06) μm, which was 172.30 μm less than that of pre-treatment values (t=11.96, P<0.05). ConclusionPhotodynamic therapy combined with intravitreal ranibizumab injections for PCV is safe and effective, with visual acuity improvement, reduction of retinal edema and PCV leakage.
ObjectiveTo observe the macular capillary morphology in diabetic patients.MethodsA total of 61 patients (104 eyes) with diabetes mellitus (DM group) and 31 healthy controls (41 eyes) were enrolled in the study. According to the degree of diabetic retinopathy (DR), the DM group was divided into non-DR (NDR) group, non-proliferative DR (NPDR) group, and proliferative DR (PDR) group. There were 13 patients (23 eyes), 21 patients (34 eyes) and 27 patients (47 eyes) in each group, respectively. According to whether there was diabetic macular edema (DME), the DM patients were divided into DME group and non-DME group, each had 20 patients (28 eyes) and 41 patients (76 eyes), respectively. The age (F=2.045) and sex (χ2=2.589) between the control group, the NDR group, the NPDR group and PDR group were not statistically significant (P=0.908, 0.374). The 3 mm × 3 mm region in macula was scanned by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), and the retinal capillary morphological changes of superficial capillary layer (SCL) and deep capillary layer (DCL) were observed. Chi-square test and t test were used to compare data among different groups.ResultsThere was no abnormal change of retinal capillary morphology in control group. Microaneurysms and foveal avascular zone (FAZ) integrity erosion can be found in NDR group. There were microaneurysms, FAZ integrity erosion, vascular tortuosity bending, capillary non-perfusion and venous beading in NPDR and PDR groups. The microaneurysms of DCL were significantly more than that of the SCL (t=4.759, P＜0.001). The eyes with microaneurysms in NDR group, NPDR group, and PDR group showed significant differences (χ2=44.071, P＜0.001), and the eyes with FAZ integrity erosion among these three groups also showed significant differences (χ2=30.759, P＜0.001). Compared with NPDR group and PDR group, there were significant differences in vascular tortuosity bending and capillary non-perfusion (vascular tortuosity bending: OR=0.213, 95%CI 0.070−0.648, P=0.004; capillary non-perfusion: OR=0.073, 95%CI 0.022−0.251, P＜0.001), and there was no significant difference in venous beading (OR=0.415, 95%CI 0.143−1.208, P=0.102). SCL blood flow density in the 4 groups (control, NDR, NPDR and PDR group) was 49.233±1.694, 48.453±2.581, 45.020±4.685 and 40.667±4.516, respectively. While the difference between the control and NDR group was not significant, the differences between other pairs (control vs NPDR/PDR, NDR vs NPDR/PDR, NPDR vs PDR) were significant. The ratio of FAZ integrity erosion and non-perfusion of DME group was significantly higher than those of non-DME group (vascular tortuosity bending: OR=7.719, 95%CI 1.645−36.228, P=0.004; capillary non-perfusion: OR=14.560, 95%CI 3.134−67.646, P＜0.001).ConclusionsOCTA can distinctively detect the abnormal retinal capillary changes of SCL and DCL in diabetic patients. Even in DM patients without diabetic retinopathy, OCTA can detect abnormal blood vessels.
Corticosteroids, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor, antibiotics and antiviral were the main 4 classes of drugs for intravitreal injection. Depending on the class and volume of medication, age and gender of patients, ocular axial lengths or vitreous humour reflux, intraocular pressure (IOP) can be elevated transiently or persistently after intravitreal injection. Transient IOP elevation occurred in 2 weeks after intravitreal injection, and can be reduced to normal level for most patients. Only a small portion of such patients have very high IOP and need intervention measures such as anterior chamber puncture or lowering intraocular pressure by drugs. Long term IOP elevation is refers to persistent IOP increase after 2 weeks after intravitreal injection, and cause optic nerve irreversible damage and decline in the visual function of patients. Thus drug or surgical intervention need to be considered for those patients with high and long period of elevated IOP. Large-scale multicenter clinical trials need to be performed to evaluate the roles of the drug and patients factors for IOP of post-intravitreal injection, and to determine if it is necessary and how to use methods reducing IOP before intravitreal injection.
ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy and safety of full macular coverage micropulse laser in the treatment of refractory macular edema secondary to Irvine-Gass syndrome.MethodsA retrospective case study. From April 2018 to November 2019, 21 cases of Irvine-Gass syndrome patients with 24 eyes were included in the study. Among them, there were 11 females with 12 eyes and 10 males with 12 eyes; the average age was 54.5±10.1 years. All the affected eyes underwent best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) examination. BCVA was performed using a standard logarithmic visual acuity chart, and the results were converted into the logarithmic minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) visual acuity when recording. The frequency domain OCT instrument was used to measure the foveal retinal thickness (CMT) and the retinal volume (MRV) of the macular area with a diameter of 1, 6 mm. All the affected eyes were treated with a micropulse laser under the threshold of 577 nm, with a spot diameter of 200 μm, an exposure time of 200 ms, a power of 400 mW, and a 5% duty cycle. The treatment scope was in the upper and lower vascular arches of the macula, covering the entire macula (including the fovea). One or 3 months after treatment, the eyes with macular edema were treated twice with micropulse laser, the method was the same as before. 1, 3, and 6 months after the treatment, the same equipment and methods as before the treatment were used for related inspections. The changes of BCVA, CMT, MRV and the occurrence of complications in the affected eye were observed.ResultsThe average logMAR BCVA of the eyes before treatment and 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment were 0.440±0.320, 0.333±0.286, 0.250±0.245, 0.166±0.184, and the average CMT were 395.88±79.21, 349.17±78.07, 317.67±53.72, 285.29±37.03 μm, respectively; the average MRV of diameter 1, 6 mm were 0.310±0.063, 0.275±0.060, 0.245±0.035, 0.221±0.219 mm3 and 9.866±0.846, 9.494±1.002, 9.005±0.885, 8.190±0.850 mm3. Compared with before treatment, the BCVA of the eyes at 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment was significantly increased (t=5.060, 5.564, 6.466), and CMT was significantly decreased (t=4.854, 5.777, 7.349), and the differences were statistically significant (P＜0.01); the average MRV of diameters 1, 6 mm decreased significantly, and the difference was statistically significant (1 mm diameter: t=4.527, 5.394, 7.380; P＜0.01; diameter 6 mm: t=4.577, 7.980, 11.209; P＜0.01). The average number of micropulse laser treatments for the affected eye was 1.25 times.ConclusionFull macular coverage micropulse laser can safely and effectively treat refractory macular edema secondary to Irvine-Gass syndrome and can be used as an alternative treatment.