Complications of intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide for macular edema and predictive factors for intraocular pressure elevation

AIM: To investigate the complications of intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA) for the treatment of macular edema, and to determine the risk factors for intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation. METHODS: Charts of patients with macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO), diabetic retinopathy and uveitis who had received IVTA injections were reviewed to document its complications. IOP elevation was defined as a pressure of ≥24mmHg at some point during follow-up. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to characterize baseline risk factors for this elevation. RESULTS: The study included 111 eyes of 65 female and 46 male patients with a mean follow-up of (11.6±5.1) months. Of the 111 eyes, 52 (46.8%) had macular edema secondary to BRVO, 44 (39.6%) had clinically significant diabetic macular edema (CSDME) and 15 (13.5%) had non-infectious uveitis with macular edema. IOP was recorded ≥24mmHg in 38 eyes (34.2%) during the follow-up. Higher baseline IOP (P =0.022), younger age (P =0.003), and male gender (P = 0.014) were significant risk factors for IOP elevation after IVTA injection. Eyes with prior vitrectomy were less likely to have IOP elevation (P =0.054). Two eyes (5.2% of eyes with increased IOP) underwent trabeculectomy, and 9 eyes (16.3% of the phakic eyes) necessitated cataract surgery. Other complications included branch vein occlusion (1.8%), sterile endophthalmitis (0.9%) and pseudohypopyon (0.9%). CONCLUSION: IVTA has side effects with IOP elevation and cataract formation being the two most common. A subset of patients is more prone to developing increased IOP following IVTA, namely, younger male patients with higher baseline IOP.

Comparison of autofluorescence and optical coherence tomography findings in acute and chronic central serous chorioretinopathy

AIM:To discuss and compare the fundus autofluorescence(FAF)and optical coherence tomography(OCT)in acute or chronic central serous chorioretinopathy(CSCR).METHODS:Medical records of 100 cases of CSCR were reviewed.Acute and chronic cases were evaluated according to the duration of decreased visual acuity,serous retinal detachment(RD)and focal leakage on fluorescein angiography(FA).Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis.RESULTS:Forty cases had acute and 60 cases had chronic CSCR.FAF showed focal hypo-autofluorescence in 34(85%)and iso-autofluorescence in 6(15%)of acute cases and hypo-autofluorescence in 51(85%),hyperautofluorescence in 6(10%)and iso-autofluorescence in3(5%)of chronic cases.OCT showed serous RD with distinct borders correlated with FAF findings(hypoautofluorescence)in all acute CSCR cases.In chronic CSCR group,OCT showed serous RD with indistinct borders correlated with FAF findings.The differences between the OCT and FAF findings of the two groups were significant(P=0.000).CONCLUSION:OCT and FAF findings can support the clinical observations in differential diagnosis of acute and chronic CSCR and help clinicians to evaluate retinal pigment epithelium,outer segments of photoreceptors and the components of serous RD.

Oxidant/antioxidant balance in the aqueous humor of patients with glaucoma

AIM： To evaluate total antioxidant status （TAS）, total oxidant status （TOS）, and the oxidative stress index （OSI） of the aqueous humor （AH） in patients with glaucoma. METHODS： The prospective study was composed of a study group （n-31） and a control group （n=31）. Fifteen patients in the study group were diagnosed with primary open angle glaucoma （POAG）, and 16 patients were diagnosed with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma （PEG）. The control group was composed of non-glaucomatous patients with cataracts. AH samples were collected and analyzed for TAS, TOS, and OSI levels. RESULTS： Mean AH TAS level was significantly higher in patients with glaucoma than that in the control group （P〈0.01）. Mean TOS and OSI levels tended to increase in patients with glaucoma. No significant differences in TAS, TOS, or OSI levels were observed between patients with POAG and PEG. CONCLUSION： High levels of TAS were observed in patients with glaucoma, which was likely a response to the increased oxidative stress observed in these patients.

Fundus autofluorescence imaging of patients with idiopathic macular hole

AIM:To investigate the role of fundus autofluo rescence(FAF) both in the diagnosis and the preoperative and postoperative evaluation of patients with idiopathic macular hole(MH).METHODS:Forty eyes of 40 patients diagnosed as idiopathic MH between May 2010 and May 2011 were included in this retrospective study.All patients underwent full ophthalmologic examinations and imagings including fluorescein angiography,fundus autofluorescence(FAF) and optical coherence tomography.Thirty of these patients underwent MH surgery.FAF findings were associated with duration of symptoms,visual acuity at presentation,stage of MH,and postoperative anatomical correction.RESULTS:The mean duration of patients’ symptoms was 3.8±2.0(1-9) months.The MH was stage 2 in 4(10%),stage 3 in 24(60%) and stage 4 in 12(30%) eyes.The median preoperative best corrected visual acuity was 20/200(between 20/800 and 20/100).Twenty-eight of cases(70%) showed a stellate appearance with dark radiating striae.Having a visual acuity ≥20/200 was significantly more common in eyes with stellate appearance(P【0.001).The mean duration of symptoms was significantly shorter in eyes with stellate appearance(2.75±0.8 vs 6.33±1.61 months)(P【0.001).The frequency of stage 4 MH was significantly higher in eyes with nonstellate appearance(P【0.001).Anatomical correction of MH was achieved in 91.3%(21/23) of eyes with stellate appearance and 71.4%(5/7) of eyes without this appearance(P=0.225).CONCLUSION:Stellate appearance in FAF is associated with earlier stages of macular hole,better visual acuity at presentation,shorter duration of symptoms,thus more favorable prognosis.

Effect of dorzolamide-timolol fixed combination prophylaxis on intraocular pressure spikes after intravitreal bevacizumab injection

AIM: To evaluate the effect of topical dorzolamide-timolol fixed combination prophylaxis on short term intraocular pressure(IOP) changes in patients who had intravitreal bevacizumab injection.METHODS: One hundred and fifty one eyes of 151 patients which were followed up in retina clinic in Ulucanlar Eye Training and Research Hospital were evaluated in this study. Patients were divided into two groups. Group 1 consists of 75 patients who had topical dorzolamid-timolol medication two hours before injection;while Group 2 consists of 76 patients without prophylaxis. Demographic data, IOP measurements prior to the injection and one, thirty and sixty minutes and twenty-four hours after the injection were recorded. The data were analyzed using SPSS software version 15.0(SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).RESULTS: There were no significant difference between two groups in age, gender distrubition and indications for injections. The mean IOPs in Groups 1 and 2 prior to the injection(T0) were 17.84±0.43 and 18.15±0.43 mm Hg,one minute after the injection(T1) were 29.75 ±1.6 and34.44 ±1.59 mm Hg, 30 minutes after the injection(T30)were 20.06 ±0.6 and 21.71 ±0.59 mm Hg respectively. The mean IOPs were 18.26 ±0.56 mm Hg in Group 1 and19.78 ±0.56 mm Hg in Group 2 sixty minutes after the injection(T60). All IOP values after the injection were compared between two groups, there was a significant difference between two groups only on T1; one minute after the injection(P =0.04). There were a statisciallysignificant difference between the baseline values and other recorded values; except on T60, in Groups 1 and 2(P 【0.05).CONCLUSION: After intravitreal bevacizumab injection;we observe a transient IOP elevation which normalizes about one hour after intravitreal injection. In patients who had topical dorzolamid-timolol combination prophylaxis before injections, a significant decrease is seen in IOP spikes due to this injection. The appropiate approach will monitor IOP after intravitreal injection and evaluate the using prophylactic antiglaucomatous drugs before the injection in patients with ganglion nerve cell damage.

Corneal properties in children with congenital isolated growth hormone deficiency

AIM:To compare the corneal parameters of children with congenital isolated growth hormone deficiency and healthy subjects.METHODS:In this cross-sectional,prospective study,50 cases with growth hormone(GH)deficiency treated with recombinant GH and 71 healthy children underwent a complete ophthalmic examination.The corneal hysteresis(CH),corneal resistance factor(CRF),Goldmann-correlated intraocular pressure(IOPg)and corneal-compensated intraocular pressure(IOPcc)were measured with the Ocular Response Analyzer(ORA).Central corneal thickness(CCT)was measured by a ultrasonic pachymeter.RESULTS:The mean age was 13.0±3.0 years in the GH deficiency group consisting of 21 females and 29 males and 13.4±2.4 years in the healthy children group consisting of 41 females and 30 males.There was no statistically significant difference between the groups for gender or age(Chi-square test,P=0.09;independent ttest,P=0.28,respectively).The mean duration of recombinant GH therapy was 3.8±2.4y in the study group.The mean CH,CRF,IOPg and IOPcc values were 11.0±2.0,10.9±1.9,15.1±3.3,and 15.1±3.2 mm Hg respectively in the study group.The same values were 10.7±1.7,10.5±1.7,15.2±3.3,and 15.3±3.4 mm Hg respectively in the control group.The mean CCT values were 555.7±40.6,545.1±32.5μm in the study and control groups respectively.There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups for CH,CRF,IOPg,IOPcc measurements or CCT values(independent t-test,P=0.315,0.286,0.145,0.747,0.13 respectively).CONCLUSION:Our study suggests that GH deficiency does not have an effect on the corneal parameters and CCT values.This observation could be because of the duration between the beginning of disease and the diagnosis and beginning of GH therapy.

原发性开角型青光眼和高眼压患者及正常人群结膜印迹细胞学检查的比较（英文）

目的：比较原发性开角型青光眼和高眼压患者及拥有健康眼球表面的正常人群的泪膜功能和印象细胞学检查的数值。 方法：此前瞻性研究中纳入了原发性开角型青光眼患者11例11眼（平均年龄：62.7±6.1岁）,高眼压患者12例12眼（平均年龄：62.8±6.4岁）及健康人12例12眼（平均年龄：62.9±6.03岁）。这些患者均是最近被诊断出患有原发性开角型青光眼及高眼压,且之前未接受过抗青光眼方面的治疗。均行结膜印迹细胞学检查、泪膜破裂时间和基础泪液分泌试验。每组印迹细胞学检查的样本根据Nelson分级法分为0-3级。应用Kruskal-Wallis检验和Dunn多重比较检验进行统计分析。 结果：原发性开角型青光眼患者,高眼压患者及正常人群平均基础泪液分泌值分别为10.4±1.3,10.9±1.2和11.1±1.1 mm/5min,其差距没有统计学意义（P=0.33）；三组的泪膜破裂时间分别为11.2±1.1,11.3±1.1和11.8±1.2s,其差距没有统计学意义（P=0.35）。原发性开角型青光眼患者中6眼（54.5%）为0级,5眼（45.5%）为1级。高眼压患者中6眼（50%）为0级,6眼（50%）为1级,健康人中6眼（50%）为0级,6只眼（50%）为1级（P=0.97）。 结论：氧化应激可能会导致青光眼,眼表疾病,泪腺功能障碍及机体杯状细胞所分泌的黏液减少。原发性开角型青光眼患者,高眼压症患者及健康人群间的印象细胞学检查数值并无显著差异。