The relationship between discordant birth weight in twin pairs and the development of retinopathy of prematurity.

The association of low birth weight and development of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is well established for singletons; however, the association of birth weight and ROP in twins of discordant weight is understudied. Using an ROP registry, we investigated whether smaller twins were at greater risk for developing any stage ROP (stage 1 or greater in either eye) compared with their larger siblings, after adjusting for birth weight and gestational age. Discordance was defined as a birth weight difference of >25%.

Long-Term Functional and Clinical Outcomes in Familial Exudative Vitreoretinopathy.

Purpose: To characterize long-term functional and anatomical outcomes in patients with familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR).

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted of all patients with a diagnosis of FEVR at a tertiary academic institution and its affiliated children's hospital treated from January 2003 through January 2024. Demographic and clinical data were collected.

Elevated tumor necrosis factor alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor in intermediate age-related macular degeneration and geographic atrophy.

Introduction: Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is an inflammatory cytokine implicated in pathological changes to the retinal pigment epithelium that are similar to changes in geographic atrophy (GA), an advanced form of age related macular degeneration (AMD). TNF-α also modulates expression of other cytokines including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), leading to choroidal atrophy in models of AMD. The purpose of this study was to investigate systemic TNF-α and VEGF in patients with GA and intermediate AMD (iAMD) compared to controls without AMD.

A case of venous overload choroidopathy in the setting of superior vena cava syndrome.

Purpose: To report a case of overload venous choroidopathy in a patient with superior vena cava syndrome.

Observations: A patient presented with episcleral vessel dilation, bilateral subretinal fluid accumulations in the maculae and unilateral serous choroidal detachment. He had a medical history of kidney transplantation and was on chronic corticosteroids.

Classification and Growth Rate of Chorioretinal Atrophy after Voretigene Neparvovec-Rzyl for RPE65-Mediated Retinal Degeneration.

Purpose: Classify the appearance and quantify the growth rate of chorioretinal atrophy in patients who received voretigene neparvovec-rzyl (VN) for RPE65-mediated retinal degeneration.

Design: Multicenter retrospective analysis.

Subjects: Patients who underwent subretinal VN injection at 5 institutions and demonstrated posterior-pole chorioretinal atrophy.

Interleukin-4 Plasma Levels Stratified by Sex in Intermediate Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Geographic Atrophy.

Purpose: Chronic local inflammation underlies the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) causing damage to the neurosensory retina. However, there is minimal research on systemic cell-mediated inflammation in AMD. Interleukin-4 (IL-4) is an immunoregulatory cytokine with an important role in modulating inflammation in chronic immune mediated disease.

RANTES (CCL5) in Patients With Geographic Atrophy Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose: A previous study from our research group showed significantly lower levels of RANTES (Regulated upon Activation, Normal T Cell Expressed and Secreted) in patients with intermediate age-related macular degeneration (AMD) compared to control patients with no AMD. The primary aim of this study was to assess levels of RANTES in a cohort of patients with a more advanced form of the disease, geographic atrophy (GA), in comparison with controls.

Methods: The study was conducted on a cohort of patients with GA recruited into a Colorado AMD registry.

Mental health and visual acuity in patients with age-related macular degeneration.

Background: Visual acuity (VA) loss has been associated with depression in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). However, previous studies did not incorporate subgroups of AMD when correlating VA and mental health. The goal of this study was to describe the relationship between VA and mental health questions in patients with different classifications of AMD, and to identify associations of mental health subscale scores.

Gender Differences in Visual Functioning Questionnaire Scores among Patients with Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose: To examine gender differences in visual functioning using the National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire-25 (VFQ-25) in a Colorado cohort of patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using a registry of AMD patients who attended the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center (2014 to 2019). Demographic, clinical, and image data were collected, and AMD was categorized as Early/Intermediate AMD, or unilateral/bilateral neovascular (NV) AMD, geographic atrophy (GA), or Both Advanced using the Beckman Classification.

Sex and Age-Related Differences in Complement Factors Among Patients With Intermediate Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is an acquired degenerative disease of the retina classified into early, intermediate, and advanced AMD. A key factor in the pathogenesis of AMD is the complement system. The interaction of age and sex with the complement system may affect the risk of developing AMD.

An Exploratory Study to Investigate the Utility of Clinical Screening for Neurodegenerative Disease in Age-Related Eye Disease Research.

Background: Unrecognized neurodegenerative diseases (NDD) in age-related eye disease research studies have the potential to confound vision-specific quality of life and retinal optical coherence tomography (OCT) outcome measures. The aim of this exploratory study was to investigate relationships between NDD screening tools and visual outcome measures in a small cohort of controls from the Colorado Age-Related Macular Degeneration Registry (CO-AMD), to consider the utility of future studies.

Methods: Twenty-nine controls from the CO-AMD were screened using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), a Colorado Parkinsonian Checklist, and the Lewy Body Composite Risk Score.

Gender as an effect modifier in the relationship between hypertension and reticular pseudodrusen in patients with early or intermediate age-related macular degeneration.

Aim: To determine whether the prevalence of treated hypertension is higher among males or females with early/intermediate (e/i) age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with and without bilateral reticular pseudodrusen (RPD).

Methods: Retrospective review of the records of patients with e/iAMD who were recruited into the University of Colorado AMD registry between July 2014 and November 2019. Images were classified using the Beckman Initiative criteria and presence/absence of RPD.

A Surgical Kit for Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Pigment Epithelium Transplants: Collection, Transportation, and Subretinal Delivery.

Transplantation of stem cell-derived retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells is a promising potential therapy for currently incurable retinal degenerative diseases like advanced dry age-related macular degeneration. In this study, we designed a set of clinically applicable devices for subretinal implantation of RPE grafts, towards the overarching goal of establishing enabling technologies for cell-based therapeutic approaches to regenerate RPE cells. This RPE transplant kit includes a custom-designed trephine for the production of RPE transplants, a carrier for storage and transportation, and a surgical device for subretinal delivery of RPE transplants.

Sex Differences in RANTES (CCL5) in Patients With Intermediate Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Controls With no AMD.

Purpose: To determine if there are sex differences in levels of regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) in patients with intermediate age-related macular degeneration (iAMD) and in controls with no AMD.

Methods: Patients with iAMD and controls defined by multi-modal imaging were recruited into a Colorado AMD registry. Plasma levels of the chemokine RANTES were measured using a multiplex assay.

Plasma C-C Chemokine Concentrations in Intermediate Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

To determine the relationship between plasma concentrations of the C-C chemokines CCL2, CCL3, CCL4, and CCL5 and intermediate age-related macular degeneration (iAMD) patients compared with control inidividuals to further define the inflammatory pathways associated with age-related macular degeneration. The concentrations of CCL2, CCL3, CCL4, and CCL5 were measured using multiplex assays in plasma collected from 210 patients with iAMD and 102 control individuals with no macular degeneration as defined by multi-modal imaging. Non-inflammatory data included in the analysis were: age, sex, family history of AMD, history of smoking, body mass index, presence of reticular pseudo-drusen and cardiovascular disease.

Increased Systemic C-Reactive Protein Is Associated With Choroidal Thinning in Intermediate Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose: C-reactive protein (CRP) and decreased choroidal thickness (CT) are risk factors for progression to advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD). We examined the association between systemic levels of CRP and CT in patients with intermediate AMD (iAMD).

Methods: Patients with iAMD in the Colorado AMD Registry were included.

The impact of advanced age-related macular degeneration on the National Eye Institute's Visual Function Questionnaire-25.

Purpose: To assess visual function among patients diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) by stage of disease and laterality.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional cohort study of 739 AMD patients and their responses to the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25 (NEI VFQ-25) at time of study enrolment. Patients with AMD were categorized into Early/Intermediate AMD and three groups of advanced AMD: (i) neovascular AMD (NV), (ii) geographic atrophy (GA) and (iii) Both Advanced forms.

Plasma Biomarkers of Reticular Pseudodrusen and the Risk of Progression to Advanced Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose: To determine, using an aptamer-based technology in patients with intermediate age-related macular degeneration (AMD), (1) if there is a difference in plasma levels of 4979 proteins in patients with and without reticular pseudodrusen (RPD), and (2) if plasma levels of proteins are related to time to conversion to advanced AMD.

Methods: Patients with intermediate AMD and RPD were identified from an AMD registry. Relative concentrations of each protein were log (base 2) transformed and compared between patients with and without RPD using linear regression.

Complement factors and reticular pseudodrusen in intermediate age-related macular degeneration staged by multimodal imaging.

Objective: Systemic activation of the complement system in intermediate age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is understudied. Moreover, links between the presence of reticular pseudodrusen (RPD) and systemic complement dysregulation have not been studied. The aim of this study was to determine if there is a difference in plasma complement factor levels in intermediate AMD compared with controls, and if complement levels are related to the presence of RPD.

Hormone Therapy as a Protective Factor for Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

: The purpose of this study was to determine if the use of menopausal hormone therapy (HT) is related to the development of neovascular (NV) age-related macular degeneration (AMD), geographic atrophy (GA) and/or early/intermediate AMD.: A case-control study was conducted from patients prospectively recruited from July 2014 to June 2019. Cases were females with AMD recruited into a registry and controls were females with age-related cataract and no AMD.

Systemic activation of the complement system in patients with advanced age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To examine the role of systemic activation of the complement system (assessed by levels of circulating C3a, Ba, and sC5b-9) in patients (n = 122) with advanced age-related macular degeneration, geographic atrophy, and neovascular age-related macular degeneration, compared with cataract controls (n = 27).

Methods: Plasma complement factors were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Statistical analysis included univariate and multivariate logistic regression (p < 0.

Driving and Visual Acuity in Patients with Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose: To assess driving status, habitual visual acuity (VA) in the better-seeing eye, and self-reported driving difficulty among patients diagnosed with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Design: Cross-sectional cohort study of 553 AMD patients' habitual VA, self-reported driving status, and driving difficulty at time of interview.

Participants: Patients diagnosed with AMD and recruited into the University of Colorado registry.

Deep capillary retinal ischemia and high-titer prothrombin-associated antiphospholipid antibodies: A case series of three patients.

Purpose: Acute macular neuroretinopathy has been shown to be due to ischemia of the deep capillary retinal plexus and most cases occur in young women; we hypothesized that there may be an association with antiphospholipid antibodies.

Observations: We identified three patients who were diagnosed with deep capillary retinal ischemia after presenting with sudden onset of focal paracentral scotoma who tested persistently positive for antiphospholipid antibodies. All patients had high-titer prothrombin-associated antibodies and two of the three also had low-titer anticardiolipin antibodies.