Improvement of macular function by membrane differential filtration in diabetic retinopathy.

Background: Alterations of blood rheology are assumed to substantially contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy. Membrane differential filtration (MDF) is an extracorporeal treatment which is able to optimize rheological parameters by eliminating high molecular weight proteins and lipoproteins from the blood. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of repetitive MDF on visual function in diabetic retinopathy.

Unusual visual evoked potentials in patients with age-related macular degeneration.

Among a series of patients with age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), a few individuals could be identified showing larger amplitudes of pattern reversal visual evoked potentials (prVEP) after stimulation of a central 3 degrees field compared to stimulation of a 13 degrees field although in the majority of ARMD patients and in normals, VEP amplitudes increased with increasing field size. An analysis of prVEPs recorded after stimulation of different macular zones showed that the 3 degrees central area and the perifoveal zone contributed differently to the 13 degrees response or macular response. Perifoveal activity in this subgroup of ARMD patients seemed to mask the foveal contribution to the macular prVEP.

Evaluation of the Haemonetics V50--time saver protocol.

196 platelet apheresis procedures using the cell separator Haemonetics V 50 were performed applying 8 cycles under varying conditions. The anticoagulant ACD-A was used in a whole-blood to anticoagulant ratio of 8:1. The flow rate was selected for a range of 40-70 ml/min and the centrifuge speed was established at 4,800 and 4,400 rpm.