Pre-Existing RPE Atrophy and Defects in the External Limiting Membrane Predict Early Poor Visual Response to Ranibizumab in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Background And Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify the rate of early visual acuity poor responders in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) after the first intravitreal injection of ranibizumab (Lucentis; Genentech, South San Francisco, CA) and to determine potential predictors for early response.

Patients And Methods: Patients with choroidal neovascularization secondary to AMD were evaluated before and 1 month after their first ranibizumab treatment. Early poor responders were defined as eyes gaining less than five letters 1 month after the first injection.

Etiological classifications of transient ischemic attacks: subtype classification by TOAST, CCS and ASCO--a pilot study.

Background: In patients with transient ischemic attacks (TIA), etiological classification systems are not well studied. The Trial of ORG 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST), the Causative Classification System (CCS), and the Atherosclerosis Small Vessel Disease Cardiac Source Other Cause (ASCO) classification may be useful to determine the underlying etiology. We aimed at testing the feasibility of each of the 3 systems.

Transient ischemic attack versus transient ischemic attack mimics: frequency, clinical characteristics and outcome.

Background: There is insufficient evidence regarding which clinical features are best suited to distinguish between transient ischemic attack (TIA) and disorders mimicking TIA (TIA mimics).

Methods: We compared the frequency, clinical characteristics and outcome of patients with TIA and TIA mimics in a prospective, single-center emergency department cohort over 2 years.

Results: Of 303 patients, 248 (81.