C-reactive protein-complement factor H axis as a biomarker of activity in early and intermediate age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To determine and compare the serum levels of complement Factor H (FH), monomeric C-Reactive Protein (mCRP) and pentameric C-Reactive protein (pCRP) in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and to correlate them with clinical, structural and functional parameters.

Methods: Cross-sectional observational study. One hundred thirty-nine individuals (88 patients and 51 healthy controls) from two referral centers were included and classified into three groups: early or intermediate AMD (n=33), advanced AMD (n=55), and age and sex matched healthy controls (n=51).

Efficacy and safety of combined 27-G vitrectomy and Ahmed valve using same sclerotomy site for the tube placement: A case series.

We report a retrospective case series describing the feasibility and outcomes of combined 27-G minimally invasive vitrectomy surgery (MIVS) and Ahmed® Glaucoma Valve (AGV) placement. Four eyes of four patients underwent a combined MIVS using 27-G technology and AGV implantation with the tube placement in the vitreous cavity. Preoperative and postoperative data up to 12 months were collected including the type of glaucoma, intraocular pressure (IOP), glaucoma medications, and complications.

Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy Based on Non-ICGA Criteria in White Patients With Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose: To determine prevalence of probable polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) among White patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) using non-indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) criteria DESIGN: Multicenter, multinational, retrospective, cross-sectional study.

Methods: A total of 208 treatment-naive eyes from Hispanic and non-Hispanic White individuals diagnosed with nAMD were included. All underwent color fundus photography (CFP), optical coherence tomography (OCT), and fluorescein angiography (FFA).

Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus-Report 2: Diabetic Kidney Disease.

The purpose of this study is to investigate potential associations between optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) parameters and diabetic kidney disease (DKD) categories in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients and controls. A complete ocular and systemic examination, including OCTA imaging tests and bloods, was performed. OCTA parameters included vessel density (VD), perfusion density (PD), foveal avascular zone area (FAZa), perimeter (FAZp) and circularity (FAZc) in the superficial vascular plexus, and DKD categories were defined according to glomerular filtration rate (GFR), albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR) and KDIGO prognosis risk classifications.

Systemic contribution of inflammatory mediators to the severity of diabetic and uveitic macular edema.

Purpose: To assess whether serum cytokine and growth factor levels are associated with diabetic macular edema (DME) and uveitic macular edema (UME) objective severity.

Methods: Cross-sectional observational study of 81 patients (1 eye/patient) with DME (n=48) and UME (n=33). Macular edema (ME) was defined upon central macular thickness (CMT) ≥ 300 μm on spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT).

GRAding of functional and anatomical response to DExamethasone implant in patients with Diabetic Macular Edema: GRADE-DME Study.

To analyze functional and anatomical response patterns to dexamethasone (DEX) implant in diabetic macular edema (DME), to describe proportion of responders and non-responders, and to propose a new DME grading system. Retrospective, multicenter, observational cohort study. Naïve and non-naïve DME patients were treated with DEX, with visual acuity (VA) ≥ 0.

Uveitic macular edema response to intravitreal dexamethasone implant is independent of optical coherence tomography findings.

Purpose: To identify predictive response optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings in uveitic macular edema (UME) treated with intravitreal dexamethasone implant (DEX).

Methods: Retrospective study of 66 eyes (53 patients) treated with DEX for UME. SD-OCT macular scans were collected prior to DEX treatment and 6 weeks and 3 months after the DEX implant.

Differential response to intravitreal dexamethasone implant in naïve and previously treated diabetic macular edema eyes.

Background: To identify different response patterns to intravitreal dexamethasone implants (IDI) in naïve and previously treated (PT) diabetic macular edema (DME) eyes in a real-life setting.

Methods: 342 IDI injections (203 DME eyes) were included. Number of IDI injections, percentage (%) of eyes with 1, 2, 3 and ≥ 4 injections, time to reinjections, visual acuity (VA), intraocular pressure (IOP) and central retinal thickness (CRT) were evaluated for naïve and PT DME eyes over 24 months.

Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus. Report 1: Diabetic Retinopathy.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate specifically in type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) individuals the relationship between perifoveal superficial capillary plexus (SCP) parameters assessed by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) grade.

Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of a large scale prospective OCTA trial cohort (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03422965).

Early Detection of Incipient Retinal Pigment Epithelium Atrophy Overlying Drusen with Fundus Autofluorescence . Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography.

Purpose: This study aims to find out which tool, fundus autofluorescence (FAF) or spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), is more sensitive in detecting retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) demise overlying drusen and can, therefore, help predict geographic atrophy (GA) appearance in Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD).

Methods: A single-site, retrospective, observational, longitudinal study was conducted. Patients with intermediate AMD (iAMD) (large (>125 m) or intermediate (63-125 m) drusen with hyper/hypopigmentation) with a minimum follow-up of 18 months were included.

Baseline predictors for visual acuity loss during observation in diabetic macular oedema with good baseline visual acuity.

Purpose: To investigate clinical baseline characteristics and optical coherence tomography biomarkers predicting visual loss during observation in eyes with diabetic macular oedema (DMO) and good baseline visual acuity (VA).

Methods: A sub-analysis of a 12-month, retrospective study, including patients with baseline VA ≤0.1 logMAR (≥20/25 Snellen) and centre-involving DMO.

Evaluation of microvascular changes in the perifoveal vascular network using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in type I diabetes mellitus: a large scale prospective trial.

Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of blindness in type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) patients, as a consequence of impaired blood flow in the retina. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is a newly developed, non-invasive, retinal imaging technique that permits adequate delineation of the perifoveal vascular network. It allows the detection of paramacular areas of capillary non perfusion and/or enlargement of the foveal avascular zone (FAZ), representing an excellent tool for assessment of DR.

Multimodal retinal imaging of familial amyloid polyneuropathy.

: Retinal amyloid angiopathy is a sight-threatening complication of familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP) caused by pathological deposition of transthyretin. The purpose of this report is to present ocular findings in patients with FAP using a combination of novel non-invasive retinal imaging techniques, including first time published images of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) in FAP.: Observational cross-sectional study of retinal images in patients with FAP using: fundus ultra wide-field photography (UWF); autofluorescence (AF); optical coherence tomography (OCT); and, OCT-A.

Disorganization of retinal inner layers as a biomarker in patients with diabetic macular oedema treated with dexamethasone implant.

Purpose: To investigate disorganization of retinal inner layers (DRIL) as a biomarker in eyes with diabetic macular oedema (DME) treated by intravitreal dexamethasone (DEX) implant.

Methods: Multicentre, retrospective study including eyes with DME treated with DEX implant and follow-up of 12 months after the first injection. OCT scans were evaluated for the presence of DRIL and other structural features.

Aqueous Humour Cytokine Changes with Intravitreal Dexamethasone Implant Injection for Diabetic Macular Edema.

: To assess changes in aqueous humor (AH) levels of cytokines following dexamethasone intravitreal implant (DEX) injection for diabetic macular edema (DME).: Sixteen DME and cataract cases series study. Anterior chamber AH sampling was performed at baseline at DEX injection time (T1), cataract surgery 8 weeks afterward (T2), and whenever DME relapsed (T3) in order to assess changes in IL-1β, IL-3, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, MCP-1, IP-10, TNF-α, and VEGF levels.

Long-Term Intravitreal Dexamethasone Implant Outcomes in Uveitis.

: To describe the long-term clinical outcomes in a cohort of uveitic eyes treated with the intravitreal dexamethasone implant (Ozurdex; Allergan, Inc).: Seventy-nine (63 patients) receiving 134 implant injections over 82 months were included. Indication, visual acuity (VA), intraocular pressure (IOP), vitreous haze score (VHS), central retinal thickness (CRT), time to reinjection, systemic treatments, and complications data were recorded.

Anatomic Response to Intravitreal Dexamethasone Implant and Baseline Aqueous Humor Cytokine Levels in Diabetic Macular Edema.

Purpose: To determine whether baseline cytokine aqueous humor (AH) levels are associated with diabetic macular edema (DME) anatomic response to dexamethasone intravitreal implant (DEX) injection.

Methods: This was a prospective cohort study of DME cases receiving DEX treatment. Seventy patients were recruited with center-involving DME with spectral-domain (SD) optical coherence tomography (OCT) detection of central macular thickness (CMT) ≥300 μm on macular cube 518 × 128-μm scan protocol (Cirrus SD-OCT).

Real-world outcomes of observation and treatment in diabetic macular edema with very good visual acuity: the OBTAIN study.

Aims: To describe and compare the functional and anatomical outcomes of untreated and treated diabetic macular edema (DME) in eyes with very good baseline visual acuity (VA) in a real-world setting.

Methods: A 12-month, retrospective, multicenter, observational cohort study, including DME patients with baseline visual acuity (VA) ≤ 0.1 logMAR (≥ 20/25 Snellen) and central subfield thickness (CST) > 250 µm with intra- and/or subretinal fluid seen on optical coherence tomography.

Causative Pathogens of Endophthalmitis after Intravitreal Anti-VEGF Injection: An International Multicenter Study.

Purpose: The main objective of this study was to investigate the microbiological spectrum of endophthalmitis after anti-VEGF injections and to compare streptococcal with non-streptococcus-associated cases with regard to baseline characteristics and injection procedure.

Methods: Retrospective, international multicenter study of patients with culture-positive endophthalmitis after intravitreal anti-VEGF injection at 17 different retina referral centers.

Results: Eighty-three cases with 87 identified pathogens were included.

Long-term probability of intraocular pressure elevation with the intravitreal dexamethasone implant in the real-world.

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term cumulative probability of intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation with the intravitreal dexamethasone implant (IDI) when used to treat different indications: diabetic macular edema, uveitis, retinal vein occlusion.

Methods: 705 IDI injections (429 eyes) were assessed and Kaplan-Meier graphs were generated to assess: the probability of different levels of IOP elevation (IOP≥21, ≥25 or ≥35 mmHg), IOP change ≥10 mmHg, initiation of IOP-lowering treatment, glaucoma surgery, IOP change with repeat injections and IOP elevation in eyes with glaucoma and ocular hypertension (OHT).

Results: The cumulative probability of IOP ≥21, ≥25 and ≥35 mmHg was 50%-60%, 25%-30% and 6%-7% at 12-24 months, respectively.

Repeatability and reproducibility of retinal and choroidal thickness measurements in Diabetic Macular Edema using Swept-source Optical Coherence Tomography.

Purpose: To evaluate the repeatability and reproducibility of retinal and choroidal thickness measured with Swept source Optical Coherence Tomography (SS-OCT) in eyes with Diabetic Macular Edema (DME).

Methods: 42 DME eyes were imaged using SS-OCT standard Macular scanning protocols. Retinal and choroidal thickness were measured in the Total macular circle (TMC) and foveal central subfield (FCS) using device-integrated specific software.

Ultra-widefield fundus fluorescein angiography in the diagnosis and management of retinal vasculitis.

PurposeTo quantify the additional information provided by ultra-widefield fluorescein angiography, compared with 7-field standard imaging, in patients with retinal vasculitis (RV).Patients and methodsRetrospective case series of 106 patients.ResultsRetinal vascular pathology was identified by UWF FFA, but not by standard ETDRS 7-field area, in 62 patients (58.

Peripheral blood metabolic and inflammatory factors as biomarkers to ocular findings in diabetic macular edema.

Aims: To study the association between peripheral blood metabolic and inflammatory factors and presence of diabetic macular edema (DME) and its related anatomic features in type 2 diabetic mellitus (T2DM) patients.

Material And Methods: Observational cross-sectional study on a proof of concept basis. Seventy-six T2DM included patients were divided based on the presence (n = 58) or absence of DME (n = 18) according to optical coherence tomography (OCT).