Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor for unilateral acute idiopathic maculopathy

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 256-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgios Mylonas ◽  
Franz Prager ◽  
Barbara Wetzel ◽  
Panagiotis Malamos ◽  
Gabor Deak ◽  
...  

Purpose: To describe a case of unilateral acute idiopathic maculopathy (UAIM) response to intravitreal therapy with aflibercept (Eylea). Methods: Retrospective case report. Results: A 36-year-old woman with sudden visual impairment and central scotoma was found to have a UAIM in her left eye. Three weeks after continuous worsening of her visual acuity and central scotoma, the patient was treated with intravitreal injections of aflibercept. The visual acuity increased and the macula lesion regressed, causing macula scarring after 2 injections. Conclusions: Intravitreal injections of aflibercept could be a therapy option in patients with UAIM without signs of spontaneous resolution of the clinical manifestations and visual improvement.

2017 ◽  
Vol 102 (9) ◽  
pp. 1254-1258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monique Munro ◽  
Geoff R Williams ◽  
Anna Ells ◽  
Michael Fielden ◽  
Amin Kherani ◽  
...  

Background/aimsTo describe an alternative technique for avoiding contact with the lids and lashes, without the use of a lid speculum, during intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injections.MethodsRetrospective case series of all patients undergoing intravitreal injections of bevacizumab and ranibizumab, with the lid splinting retraction technique from January 2010 to December 2015. Injections performed by six vitreoretinal specialists were included. The key preinjection ocular surface preparation includes topical anaesthetic, 5% povidone-iodine and a subconjunctival injection of 2% lidocaine with epinephrine. A second instillation of 5% povidone-iodine is given and the intravitreal injection is then performed. No lid speculum is used. A search of the electronic medical records identified patients diagnosed with postinjection endophthalmitis and charts were reviewed to ensure inclusion criteria were met. The main outcome measure was incidence of postinjection endophthalmitis.ResultsA total of 78 009 consecutive intravitreal injections were performed, of which 22 207 were bevacizumab and 55 802 were ranibizumab. In this cohort of patients (n=6320), 12 cases of endophthalmitis developed, corresponding to a rate of 0.015%.ConclusionsThe technique of eyelid retraction for intravitreal injection has a low rate of endophthalmitis, similar to the reported rates using a metal lid speculum. This is beneficial for both the physician and the patient as it minimises patient discomfort as well as the duration of the procedure. To our knowledge, this is one of the largest studies performed to date evaluating intravitreal injection-related endophthalmitis.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chu-Hsuan Huang ◽  
Chang-Hao Yang ◽  
Yi-Ting Hsieh ◽  
Chung-May Yang ◽  
Tzyy-Chang Ho ◽  
...  

AbstractThis retrospective study evaluated the association of hyperreflective foci (HRF) with treatment response in diabetic macular oedema (DME) after anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy. The medical records, including of ophthalmologic examinations and optical coherence tomography (OCT) images, of 106 patients with DME treated with either intravitreal ranibizumab or aflibercept were reviewed. The correlations between best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) changes and HRF along with other OCT biomarkers were analysed. The mean logMAR BCVA improved from 0.696 to 0.461 after an average of 6.2 injections in 1 year under real-world conditions. Greater visual-acuity gain was noted in patients with a greater number of HRF in the outer retina at baseline (p = 0.037), along with other factors such as poor baseline vision (p < 0.001), absence of epiretinal membrane (p = 0.048), and presence of subretinal fluid at baseline (p = 0.001). The number of HRF after treatment was correlated with the presence of hard exudate (p < 0.001) and baseline haemoglobin A1C (p = 0.001). Patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy had greater HRF reduction after treatment (p = 0.018). The number of HRF in the outer retina, in addition to other baseline OCT biomarkers, could be used to predict the treatment response in DME after anti-VEGF treatment.


2017 ◽  
Vol Volume 11 ◽  
pp. 299-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Ruão ◽  
María Andreu-Fenoll ◽  
Rosa Dolz-Marco ◽  
Roberto Gallego-Pinazo

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 1024
Author(s):  
Timothy Y. Y. Lai ◽  
Ricky Y. K. Lai

Previous studies based on clinical trial data have demonstrated that greater fluctuations in retinal thickness during the course of intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) is associated with poorer visual acuity outcomes. However, it was unclear whether similar findings would be observed in real-world clinical settings. This study aimed to evaluate the association between retinal thickness variability and visual outcomes in eyes receiving anti-VEGF therapy for nAMD using pro re nata treatment regimen. A total of 64 eyes which received intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy (bevacizumab, ranibizumab or aflibercept) for the treatment of nAMD were evaluated. Variability in spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) central subfield thickness (CST) was calculated from the standard deviation (SD) values of all follow-up visits after three loading doses from month 3 to month 24. Eyes were divided into quartiles based on the OCT CST variability values and the mean best-corrected visual acuity values at 2 years were compared. At baseline, the mean ± SD logMAR visual acuity and CST were 0.59 ± 0.39 and 364 ± 113 µm, respectively. A significant correlation was found between CST variability and visual acuity at 2 years (Spearman’s ρ = 0.54, p < 0.0001), indicating that eyes with lower CST variability had better visual acuity at 2 years. Eyes with the least CST variability were associated with the highest mean visual acuity improvement at 2 years (quartile 1: +9.7 letters, quartile 2: +1.1 letters, quartile 3: −2.5 letters, quartile 4: −9.5 letters; p = 0.018). No significant difference in the number of anti-VEGF injections was found between the four CST variability quartile groups (p = 0.21). These findings showed that eyes undergoing anti-VEGF therapy for nAMD with more stable OCT CST variability during the follow-up period were associated with better visual outcomes. Clinicians should consider adopting treatment strategies to reduce CST variability during the treatment course for nAMD.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Stine Bolme ◽  
Dordi Austeng ◽  
Kari Hanne Gjeilo

Abstract Background Intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor are high-volume procedures and represent a considerable workload on ophthalmology departments. Several departments have tried to meet this increase by shifting the task to nurses. To maintain high-quality patient care, we developed a training program for nurses that certifies them to administer injections. This qualitative study aimed to evaluate whether the nurses were confident and in control after participating in the training program and whether they were satisfied with the training and the new task. Methods Between 2014 and 2018, 12 registered nurses were trained in a tertiary hospital in central Norway. All the nurses were interviewed, either individually (n = 7) or in a group (n = 5). We analysed the interviews using Graneheim and Lundman’s qualitative content analysis. Results Eight subthemes were clustered within four main themes: 1) procedure and challenges, 2) motivation, 3) cooperation and confidence, and 4) evaluation. The nurses felt confident and in control when administering injections but experienced moments of insecurity. The new task gave the nurses a sense of achievement, and they highlighted improvement of patients’ lives as positive. A greater level of responsibility gave the nurses pride in their profession. They had suggestions that could improve training efficiency but were overall satisfied with the training program. Conclusions Our study showed that the nurses were satisfied with the training and that learning a new task led to higher self-esteem and increased respect from patients and colleagues. Suggestions to improve the training were identified; these should be considered before implementation by other departments.


2016 ◽  
Vol 235 (4) ◽  
pp. 225-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomoaki Shiba ◽  
Mao Takahashi ◽  
Izumi Yoshida ◽  
Hikari Taniguchi ◽  
Tadashi Matsumoto ◽  
...  

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine whether multiple intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) exacerbate systemic arteriosclerosis, using the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) and intima-media thickness (IMT). Methods: We analyzed the data of 45 AMD patients who received intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF drugs (ranibizumab and/or aflibercept) and underwent systemic evaluations at baseline and after treatment. Reevaluation was conducted at ≥12 months from the initial treatment. Results: The total number of intravitreal injections of overall anti-VEGF drugs was significantly correlated with Δserum cystatin C. The cumulative number of aflibercept injections was identified as an independent protective factor for ΔCAVI. An increase in the cumulative number of intravitreal injections of overall anti-VEGF drugs was identified as a protective factor for Δmean IMT. Conclusion: Repeated intravitreal injections of an anti-VEGF drug for AMD may lead to morphological and functional changes in large arteries.


Author(s):  
Д.И. Перегуд ◽  
В.Ю. Баронец ◽  
А.С. Лобачева ◽  
А.С. Иванов ◽  
И.В. Гармаш ◽  
...  

Формирование сердечно-сосудистой патологии при чрезмерном употреблении алкоголя сопряжено с повышением концентрации в крови таких медиаторов воспаления, как интерлейкины 6 (IL6) и 8 (IL8) и хемоаттрактанта моноцитов CCL2 (C-C motif ligand 2), а также молекул, участвующих в функционировании эндотелия, в частности фактора роста сосудистого эндотелия (VEGFA, vascular endothelial growth factor А), молекулы клеточной адгезии (ICAM1, intercellular adhesion molecule 1) и эндотелина (EDN1). Предполагается, что данный процесс генетически детерминирован, однако до настоящего момента исследований в этом направлении не проводилось. Целью работы явилось изучение ассоциации носительства аллелей полиморфных локусов, расположенных в генах IL6 (rs1800795), IL8 (rs4073), CCL2 (rs1024611), VEGFA (rs699947 и rs2010963), ICAM1 (rs281437) и EDN1 (rs1800541) с содержанием соответствующих полипептидов в циркуляторном русле и развитием сердечно-сосудистых заболеваний на фоне хронического злоупотребления алкоголем. В исследование были включены лица, злоупотребляющие алкоголем, без выраженной соматической патологии, а также пациенты, у которых на фоне злоупотребления развились заболевания сердечно-сосудистой системы. Уровень IL6, IL8, CCL2, VEGFA, ICAM1 и EDN1 в сыворотке крови оценивали посредством ИФА. Аллели полиморфных локусов были определены посредством ПЦР в режиме реального времени. Установлено, что среди лиц, злоупотребляющих алкоголем, с клинически выраженной патологией сердечно-сосудистой системы значительно чаще встречаются только носители гомозиготного генотипа GG или аллеля G полиморфного локуса в гене IL6 (rs1800795). Кроме того, носительство генотипа GG повышает вероятность развития сердечно-сосудистых заболеваний при хроническом злоупотреблении алкоголем. Однако, дополнительное влияние оказывают демографические факторы и клинические характеристики пациентов. В частности, введение поправки на возраст и пол, а также учет наличия цирроза печени, гипертензии и сахарного диабета, сопровождающих злоупотребление алкоголем, нивелируют повышение риска патологии сердечно-сосудистой системы. Ассоциации полиморфных вариантов в генах IL6 (rs1800795), IL8 (rs4073), CCL2 (rs1024611), VEGFA (rs699947 и rs2010963), ICAM1 (rs281437) и EDN1 (rs1800541) с содержанием белковых продуктов соответствующих генов в циркуляторном русле выявлено не было. Cardiovascular diseases in alcohol abusers are associated with elevation of plasma levels of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL6, IL8 and CCL2 as well as molecules involved in endothelial functioning including VEGFA, ICAM1 and EDN1. This phenomenon is supposed to be genetically determined. However to date the issue has not been investigated. Thus, we aimed to study the relationship between carriage of SNPs of IL6 (rs1800795), IL8 (rs4073), CCL2 (rs1024611), VEGFA (rs699947 and rs2010963), ICAM1 (rs281437) and EDN1 (rs1800541) genes with the serum levels of their products and the development of cardiovascular diseases in alcohol abusers. The study included alcohol abusers without apparent somatic pathology and alcohol abusers with clinical manifestations of cardiovascular disease. Serum levels of IL6, IL8, CCL2, VEGFA, ICAM1 and EDN1 were estimated by EIA. SNPs were determined by means of real-time PCR. We found that among the SNPs studied only carriers of homozygous GG genotype and G allele of IL6 (rs1800795) were more frequent in alcohol abusers with cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, carriage of homozygous GG genotype of IL6 (rs1800795) increases the probability of development of cardiovascular pathology in alcohol abusers. However, adjustment for age, gender and the presence of liver cirrhosis, hypertension and diabetes mellitus as co-variates eliminates the enhanced risk of cardiovascular pathology. Polymorphisms of IL6 (rs1800795), IL8 (rs4073), CCL2 (rs1024611), VEGFA (rs699947 and rs2010963), ICAM1 (rs281437) and EDN1 (rs1800541) did not determine serum levels of the related polypeptides.


2021 ◽  
pp. bjophthalmol-2021-319131
Author(s):  
Yong Cheng ◽  
Shuang Sun ◽  
Xun Deng ◽  
Xuemei Zhu ◽  
Dandan Linghu ◽  
...  

BackgroundData on serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and drug levels in patients with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) following intravitreal injections of conbercept (IVC) are lacking.MethodsMulticentre, prospective, non-randomised study of patients with aggressive posterior retinopathy of prematurity (APROP) or type 1 ROP who had not received other treatment. All infants received therapy in both eyes plus intravitreal IVC 0.25 mg/0.025 mL in one eye and had at least 6 months of follow-up. Blood samples were collected before and 1 week and 4 weeks after IVC. The main outcome measures were serum conbercept and VEGF concentrations.ResultsForty infants with APROP or type 1 ROP were enrolled. The mean serum VEGF at baseline and 1 week and 4 weeks after a total of 0.25 mg of IVC was 953.35±311.90 pg/mL, 303.46±181.89 pg/mL and 883.12±303.89 pg/mL, respectively. Serum VEGF 1 week after IVC was significantly lower (p<0.05) than baseline, and at 4 weeks after IVC, it was significantly higher (p<0.05) than at 1 week. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) between baseline and 4 weeks. Serum conbercept was below the limit of quantitation (BLOQ) at baseline and 4 weeks and was 19.81±7.60 ng/mL at 1 week.ConclusionSerum VEGF 1 week after IVC was significantly lower than baseline but returned to baseline at 4 weeks. Serum conbercept increased at 1 week and was BLOQ at 4 weeks.


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