Case Reports of Severe Paediatric Sickle Cell Retinopathy: Disease Manifestations, Progression and Treatments.

Severe sickle retinopathy is commonly known in adults but not in children, hence any related treatment for sickle retinopathy in children was not well described. We reported 2 paediatric sickle patients (aged 12 and 13) presented with severe sickle retinopathy and described details of their disease progression and treatments over 2-3 years, along with the challenges faced when managing this particular group of young age sickle cell patients. Our case reports also demonstrated the benefits of laser photocoagulation treatment to early sickle proliferative disease, and how complications from advanced severe retinopathy hindered effective treatments.

Is a Carotid Doppler Scan Useful for Managing Patients with Suspected Ocular Ischemic Syndrome?

Purpose: This review aims to understand the value of a carotid Doppler scan (CDS) when managing patients with clinical/suspected ocular ischaemic syndrome (OIS); correlations between internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis reports; subsequent patterns of referral to vascular experts; and subsequent decisions concerning surgical versus medical management.

Methods: A retrospective review of 402 CDS requests by a single eye center over 4 years (2016-2019) for patients with a clinical suspicion of OIS was conducted. Data analysis included 344 patients who had reported CDS of both ICAs.

Stroke risk management in carotid atherosclerotic disease: A Clinical Consensus Statement of the ESC Council on Stroke and the ESC Working Group on Aorta and Peripheral Vascular Diseases.

Carotid atherosclerotic disease continues to be an important cause of stroke, often disabling or fatal. Such strokes could be largely prevented through optimal medical therapy and carotid revascularization. Advancements in discovery research and imaging along with evidence from recent pharmacology and interventional clinical trials and registries and the progress in acute stroke management have markedly expanded knowledge base for clinical decisions in carotid stenosis.

Clinical efficacy and safety of intravitreal fluocinolone acetonide implant for the treatment of chronic diabetic macular oedema: five-year real-world results.

Background/aim: To report 5-year real-world efficacy and safety data following the treatment of chronic diabetic macular oedema (DMO) with the intravitreal 0.19 mg fluocinolone acetonide implant(ILUVIEN).

Methods: Retrospective cohort study of 31 eyes treated with ILUVIEN for chronic DMO at a tertiary centre in Birmingham (UK).

Comparing Effectiveness of Three Different Anti-VEGF Treatment Regimens for Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Two Years' Real-World Clinical Outcomes.

Purpose: To compare and report the 2-year treatment outcomes from 3 different anti-VEGF treatment regimens in treating neovascular aged-related macular degeneration (nAMD): Ranibizumab pro re nata (Ranibizumab-PRN); Ranibizumab treat and extend (Ranibizumab-T&E); Aflibercept fixed first year dosing (7 injections) with treat and extend in subsequent year (Aflibercept-Fixed).

Methods: All treatment-naïve nAMD patients who completed 24 months of monitoring from a single treatment center were included. Patients received the initial loading dose of three injections (4-weekly interval), followed by one of the 3 treatment regimens.

Evolving Treatment Patterns and Outcomes of Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration Over a Decade.

Purpose: Management of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) has evolved over the last decade with several treatment regimens and medications. This study describes the treatment patterns and visual outcomes over 10 years in a large cohort of patients.

Design: Retrospective analysis of electronic health records from 27 National Health Service secondary care healthcare providers in the UK.

Ultra-Widefield Fluorescein Angiographic Patterns, Retinal Microvascular Anomalies and Retinal Ischemic Index in Branch Retinal Vein Occlusions with Established Retinal Neovascularization.

Purpose: To share the experience of using ultra-widefield fluorescein angiography (UWF-FA) in recognizing the potential signs for retinal neovascularizations (NVE) development in branch retinal vein occlusions (BRVO).

Methods: Reporting angiographic findings in 60 BRVO eyes presenting with NVE and vitreous hemorrhage using UWF-FA investigation. Angiographic retinal ischemic index (ARI) was also calculated from UWF-FA as the ratio of digitally mapped ischemic retina area against area of optic disc, termed unit of disc diameter (DD).

Combination Therapy for Macular Oedema in Retinal Vein Occlusions: 3-Year Results from a Real-World Clinical Practice.

Purpose: To report long-term efficacy and treatment outcomes of the combination therapy for treating macular oedema (MO) in retinal vein occlusions (RVOs) from a real-world UK practice.

Methods: The initial reported 66 RVO patients with MO treated with combination therapy (initial Ranibizumab, later optional addition of Ozurdex and laser) were followed up to Year 3: visual acuity (VA) and central retinal thickness (CRT) were analysed against baseline and previous Year 1 results. Safety and adverse events were also recorded.

Real-World Visual And Clinical Outcomes For Patients With Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration Treated With Intravitreal Ranibizumab: An 8-Year Observational Cohort (AMD8).

Purpose: To report the long-term clinical outcomes for patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) who received anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy as part of a standardised treatment protocol in a real-world setting.

Patients And Methods: This is a retrospective audit of all treatment-naïve patients with nAMD who commenced a pro re nata (PRN) treatment regimen of intravitreal Ranibizumab from January to December 2009 and completed 8 years of follow-up in one single-treatment centre. Electronic medical notes were reviewed to evaluate the outcome measures.

United Kingdom Diabetic Retinopathy Electronic Medical Record (UK DR EMR) Users Group: report 4, real-world data on the impact of deprivation on the presentation of diabetic eye disease at hospital services.

Aim: To assess the impact of deprivation on diabetic retinopathy presentation and related treatment interventions, as observed within the UK hospital eye service.

Methods: This is a multicentre, national diabetic retinopathy database study with anonymised data extraction across 22 centres from an electronic medical record system. The following were the inclusion criteria: all patients with diabetes and a recorded, structured diabetic retinopathy grade.

One-year outcome of bevacizumab therapy for chronic macular edema in central and branch retinal vein occlusions in real-world clinical practice in the UK.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the 12-month outcome of macular edema secondary to both chronic and new central and branch retinal vein occlusions treated with intravitreal bevacizumab in the real-life clinical setting in the UK.

Methods: Retrospective case notes analysis of consecutive patients with retinal vein occlusions treated with bevacizumab in 2010 to 2012. Outcome measures were visual acuity (measured with Snellen, converted into logMAR [logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution] for statistical calculation) and central retinal thickness at baseline, 4 weeks post-loading phase, and at 1 year.

Macular Hole Formation After Intravitreal Ranibizumab Injection in Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Ranibizumab is a monoclonal antibody fragment that inhibits angiogenesis by inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor A, used as a treatment for patients with wet aged-related macular degeneration (ARMD). Adverse effects from intravitreal Ranibizumab injections are well recognised. Macular hole formation following Ranibizumab injection is a complication that has been recently reported in few case reports.

Effect of initial retinal thickness on outcome of intravitreal bevacizumab therapy for diabetic macular edema.

Purpose: To investigate whether eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME) and central retinal thickness (CRT) >400 μm had better visual and anatomical outcomes compared to eyes with a CRT <400 μm when treated with intravitreal bevacizumab in a real-world setting.

Patients And Methods: Patients undergoing intravitreal bevacizumab therapy for DME were identified from the departmental database of a tertiary referral unit. Following the initial injection, a retreatment was performed for any persistent macular edema, unless there had been no previous response to repeated doses.

Vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptor, Flt-1, in the plasma of patients with coronary or peripheral atherosclerosis, or Type II diabetes.

Since atherosclerosis is characterized by endothelial damage, re-growth seems likely to be occurring in order to repair or replace injured cells. Angiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a likely mediator of these events, acts on the endothelium via a specific receptor, Flt-1. We hypothesized that patients with different manifestations of atherosclerosis, and others with diabetes, would have altered plasma levels of VEGF and Flt-1 compared with healthy individuals.