ObjectiveTo observe the effect of conbercept combined with 577 nm subthreshold micropulse laser photocoagulation on diabetic macular edema (DME).MethodsA prospective randomized controlled clinical study. From June 2016 to June 2017, 68 eyes of 68 patients with DME diagnosed in Central Theater Command General Hospital were enrolled in the study. The patients were randomly assigned to two different treatment groups: 36 eyes (36 patients) in the conbercept combined with 577 nm subthreshold micropulse lase group (combined treatment group) and 32 eyes (32 patients) in conbercept group (drug treatment group). All patients received three initial intravitreous injection of conbercept and re-treatment was performed according to the criteria which has been disigned before. BCVA was measured by ETDRS charts. The central macular thickness (CMT), total macular volume (TMV) were measured by Topcon 3D-OCT 2000. The BCVA, CMT and TMV in the combined treatment group and the drug treatment group were 57.9±12.4 letters, 427.8±129.4 μm, 10.14±1.50 mm3 and 59.0±16.0 letters, 441.0 ±135.7 μm, 10.43±2.10 mm3, respectively. There was no significant difference (t=0.321, 0.410, 0.641; P=0.749, 0.683, 0.524). The follow-up period was more than 12 months. The changes of BCVA, CMT and TMV were compared between the two groups. Comparison of BCVA, CMT, TMV before and after treatment in and between groups using repeated measures analysis of variance.ResultsThe average annual injection times was 5.8±1.9 in the combined treatment group and 8.5±2.4 in the drug treatment group. The difference was statistically significant (t=5.12, P=0.000). The BCVA in the 3rd, 6th, 9th and 12th month were 64.9±11.1, 65.6±10.5, 67.0±10.8, 66.6±10.7 letters and 65.7±15.8, 66.9±15.7, 66.4±13.0, 67.3±16.4 letters, respectively, and there were significant differences compared with BCVA before treatment (F=34.234, 10.137; P=0.000, 0.000). The CMT were 335.2±105.9, 352.6±106.6, 336.2±120.8, 305.9±97.0 μm and 323.9±92.8, 325.5±90.2, 327.6±108.2, 312.2±106.8 μm, respectively. The TMV were 9.20±1.08, 9.26±1.20, 9.20±1.63, 9.05±1.18 mm3 and 9.19±1.21, 9.35±1.69, 9.09±1.20, 8.92±1.10 mm3, respectively. Compared with the CMT (F=12.152, 12.917; P=0.000, 0.000) and TMV (F=11.198, 11.008; P=0.000, 0.000) before treatment, the differences were statistically significant.ConclusionConbercept combined with 577 nm subthreshold micropulse laser and conbercept can effectively reduce CMT, TMV and improve BCVA in patients with DME, but combination therapy can reduce the injection times of conbercept.
Diabetic macular edema (DME) is the most common retinopathy that seriously threatens the visual function of diabetic patients, and it represents a major cause of blindness especially among people in working age. Ocular VEGF inhibitors are most often used as a first line therapy for DME, and have revolutionary significance in improving visual outcomes. However, there remain 30%-50% patients who fail to respond to anti-VEGF treatment, and the need for frequent injections brings a substantial treatment burden to patients and society. Novel therapeutic strategies include improving efficacy and duration of anti-VEGF drugs, targeting inflammation, the plasma kallikrein–kinin system, the angiopoietin-Tie2 system, neurodegeneration and other alternative pathways, as well as using subthreshold and targeted laser therapy. It is still challenging in the individualized management of DME to identify non-responders to anti-VEGF drugs and to establish a standardized regimen for the switch from anti-VEGF therapy to anti-inflammatory or other alternative treatment. Further research and development of new therapies, as well as preventive and screening strategies, are needed to reduce the impact of diabetic retinopathy and DME on public health.
Objective To observe the corneal nerve fibres damage in different stage of diabetic retinopathy (DR) with type 2 diabetes. Methods A cross-sectional study. One hundred and twenty eyes of 120 patients with type 2 diabetes served as diabetes group. According to International Clinical Diabetic Retinopathy Disease Severity Scales (2002), diabetes patients were classified into 4 subgroups: patients without diabetic retinopathy (NDR), patients with mild or moderate non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (mNPDR), patients with severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (sNPDR) and patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), each subgroup has 30 eyes of 30 patients. Another 30 eyes of 30 healthy participants served as control group. All eyes were scanned with HRT3 in vivo corneal confocal microscopy. Images of sub-basal nerve plexus were quantified including nerve fiber length (NFL), nerve fiber density (NFD), nerve fiber branch density (NFB), and nerve tortuosity (NT). The correlations of corneal nerve fiber with age, duration of diabetes and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were analyzed using Spearman correlation analysis. Results NFL, NFD and NFB were found to be significantly lower in diabetic patients (F=147.315, 142.586, 65.898;P=0.000, 0.000, 0.000), NT was significantly greater in diabetic patients (F=39.431,P=0.000), when compared to control group. In diabetic patients, NFL, NFD and NFB were gradually reduced with DR severity, NT was gradually increased with DR severity. While the difference of NFL, NFD, NFB, NT was not statistically significant between sNPDR and PDR subgroups (P＞0.05), but was statistically significant between other subgroups (P＜0.05). Spearman correlation analysis results showed that age (r=－0.071, －0.080, 0.001, 0.100;P=0.391, 0.328, 0.991, 0.224) and HbA1c (r=－0.109, －0.115, －0.126, 0.025;P=0.238, 0.211, 0.169, 0.781) had no correlation with NFL, NFD, NFB, NT. Duration of diabetes was negatively correlated with the NFL, NFD (r=－0.212, －0.264;P= 0.020, 0.004), positive correlated with NT (r=0.261,P=0.004), and had no correlation with NFB (r=－0.119,P=0.194). Conclusions Corneal nerve fiber loss and nerve tortuosity increased were found in patients with type 2 diabetes, and even without diabetic retinopathy. The progress of corneal neuropathy was correlated with the severity of DR, but it was not change significantly between sNPDR and PDR.
Diabetic macular edema is the leading cause of central vision loss and even blindness in diabetic retinopathy. Compared to FFA, OCT can obtain the high-resolution 3D image quickly, easily to reflect the details of the tissue and realize the quantitative measurement. As a novel technology, OCT angiography (OCTA) can display microvascular structure from different layers of retina and choroid, having its advantage of quantifying the vessel density and the lesion area. By detecting fundus morphology, quantifying and quantitating the retinal vessels and vessel density, the combination of OCT and OCTA could play a guiding role in diagnosis, classification, treatment and prognosis of diabetic macular edema.
Objective To observe the subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) in eyes of patients with diabetic macular edema (DME). Methods Twenty patients (32 eyes) with DME were enrolled in this crosssectional observational study. The patients included 12 males and eight females, with a mean age of (47.3plusmn;10.2) years. All the patients were examined documenting best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), spectraldomain optical coherence tomography (OCT) and ophthalmological examination. According to OCT DME morphology, samples are divided into diffuse macular edema, cystoid macular edema, serous retinal detachment and hard exudate groups. The SFCT was measured by a Cirrus HD-OCT with enhanced depth imaging (EDI) and was compared with the average SFCT (286.84plusmn;28.80) mu;m of same age group. Correlation between SFCT and age, diopter, diabetic duration, fasting blood glucose, BCVA and central retinal thickness were analyzed by Pearson Analysis. SFCT of different DME types were analyzed by ANOVA Analysis. Results The mean SFCT of 32 eyes was (223.81plusmn;43.74) mu;m (ranging from 120.50 to 361.50 mu;m), which was lower by 63.03 mu;m (95% confidence interval, -78.80 to -47.26 mu;m, P＜0.01) from normal SFCT. SFCT was independent of age (r=0.124), diopter (r=0.277), diabetic duration (r=0.286), fasting blood glucose (r=0.408), BCVA (r=0.087), and central retinal thickness (r=0.036). There was no significant difference of SFCT between different DME types (F=0.042，P＞0.05). Conclusion SFCT is thinner in eyes with DME as compared to normal eyes of the same age.
ObjectiveTo observe the expression of inflammatory cytokines in diabetic rats received posterior sub-Tenon capsule injection of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) and pan-retinal photocoagulation. MethodsA total of 48 Brown Norway rats received intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin to establish the diabetic model. Diabetic rats were randomly divided into experimental group (20 rats), control group (20 rats) and blank group (8 rats). 50 μl TA or saline was injected into the posterior sub-Tenon capsule immediately after the photocoagulation in the experimental group and the control group, respectively. The blank group received no treatment. The mRNA and protein expression level of retinal vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis fator-α (TNF-α) were measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) at 1, 3, 7 days after laser photocoagulation. ResultsThe mRNA and protein expression of VEGF, IL-6, TNF-α of the experimental group and control group were significantly higher than the blank group, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The mRNA and protein expression of VEGF, IL-6 and TNF-α of the experimental group were significantly lower than that of the control group. On day 1 after laser photocoagulation, the mRNA expression of VEGF was not statistically significant in the experimental group and control group (P > 0.05), the mRNA and protein expression of VEGF, IL-6, TNF-α of the two groups were statistically significant in the remaining observing time (P < 0.05). ConclusionPosterior sub-Tenon capsule injection of TA can effectively reduce retinal photocoagulation induced VEGF, IL-6, TNF-α expression.
ObjectiveTo assess and classify the features of fundus autofluorescence (FAF) with optical coherence tomography (OCT) in clinically significant diabetic macular edema according to the criteria reported by ETDRS. Methods Eighty-four eyes of 47 diabetic patients with untreated clinically significant macular edema (CSME) diagnosed by OCT/FAF examination were enrolled in this study. The mean BCVA was 0.38±0.26, CRT was (360.23±139.40) μm and volume was (9.59±1.97) mm3. According to the FAF patterns, the CSME patients were divided into normal group (30 eyes), single-spot group (20 eyes), and multiple-spot group (22 eyes). There were 44, 18 and 22 eyes with diffuse edema, cystoid edema and serous retinal detachment, respectively. The correlation of visual acuity with central retinal thickness and total volume of macular was analyzed between different groups. ResultsIn the normal group and the single-spot group, the prevalence of the diffuse type was highest in the OCT (83.3%, 60.0%). In the multiple-spot group, the prevalence of the SRD type was highest in the OCT (50.0%). In the three FAF pattern groups, the BCVA were 0.47±0.26, 0.43±0.30, 0.28±0.19; the CRT were (272.41±48.62), (402.84±134.89), (505.67±135.20) μm; the total volume was (8.67±1.03), (8.94±1.63), (10.79±2.20) mm3. The BCVA were 0.43±0.25, 0.45±0.30, 0.22±0.14; the CRT were (272.41±48.62), (402.84±134.89), (505.67±135.20) μm; the total volume was (8.58±0.95)、(9.22±1.33)、(12.03±2.01) mm3 in eyes with diffuse edema, cystoid edema and serous retinal detachment, respectively(r=-0.31, -0.34; P > 0.05). Correlation analysis showed CRT positively correlated to volume (r=0.85, P < 0.05), BCVA negatively correlated to CRT and volume(r=-0.31, -0.34; P > 0.05). ConclusionThere are more diffuse edema eyes in normal group and single-spot group, while serous retinal detachmen in multiple-spot group. FAF correlates better with visual acuity than OCT patterns.
Objective To observe the choroidal changes of diabetic macular edema (DME) with serous macular detachment (SMD) in non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) patients by optical coherence tomography (OCT).Methods Nine NPDR patients including DME with SMD in one eye (SMD group) and only DME in the other eye (DME group) were enrolled. These 18 eyes were also divided into PRP group (six eyes, received panretinal photocoagulation before) and non-PRP group (12 eyes). Spectral domain EDI (enhance depth imaging) OCT and fundus photograph were performed in all the eyes. The subfoveal choroidal thickness was measured. The choroidal simulation area acquired by horizontal EDI-OCT scan through the center of the fovea was calculated by Image Plus Pro 6.0 software. The difference between DME and SMD group was compared and analyzed with matched t- test; the difference between PRP and non-PRP group was compared and analyzed with F test.Results In SMD group, spindle-like or domelike low signal of detachment areas with intact external limiting membrane were found in the retinal detachment region, and the inner and outer segments (IS/OS) were separated from the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) Bruch membrane. Both subfoveal choroidal thickness and choroidal simulation area in SMD group were significant greater than those in DME group (t=2.306, 2.306;P＜0.05). Choroidal simulation area in PRP group was larger than that in nonPRP group (F=5.227,P＜0.05). But there was no significant difference of subfoveal choroidal thickness between PRP and non-PRP group (F=3.276,P＞0.05). Conclusion EDI-OCT detects spindlelike or domelike low signal areas in detachment region of SMD with DME in NPDR patients.
ObjectiveTo observe the efficacy and safety of intravitreal injection of conbercept in the treatment of proliferatived diabetic retinophathy (PDR) complicated with vitreous hemorrhage by minimally invasive vitreoretinal surgery.MethodsProspective clinical study. A total of 50 patients with PDR complicated with vitreous hemorrhage clinically diagnosed in Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital who needed vitrectomy were recruited in this study. According to the principle of informed consent, the patients were divided into two groups: postoperative injection group and the control group. Twenty-five eyes of 25 patients in each group were examined before operation. No significant proliferative changes in the posterior pole and traction retinal detachment were observed. There was significant difference of age between two groups (t=－24.697, P=0.030), but no significant difference of sex (χ2=0.330, P=0.564), duration of diabetes (t=－1.144, P=0.258), logMAR BCVA (t=－0.148, P=0.883), lens state (χ2=0.397, P=0.529), panretinal laser photocoagulation (χ2=1.333, P=0.248). The postoperative injection group was treated with intravitreous injection of 0.05 ml conbercept (10 mg/ml) immediately after 27G minimally invasive vitrectomy. The other treatment and follow-up were the same as those in the postoperative injection group except for conbercept injection. All patients underwent routine slit-lamp examination, indirect ophthalmoscope and B-ultrasound examination before operation. The main outcome measure included the time of operation, the incidence rate of iatrogenic retinal holes and silicone oil filling. The recurrence of vitreous hemorrhage, BCVA, intraocular pressure, central retinal thickness (CRT), postoperative complications and progression were recorded 1 week, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after operation.ResultsAt 1 week and 1, 3, 6 months after operation, there was significant difference of logMAR BCVA between the two groups (t=－4.980, －4.840, －4.892, －5.439; P<0.001). At 3 and 6 months after operation, the recurrence of vitreous hemorrhage in the postoperative injection group was lower than that in the control group, but there was no statistical difference between two groups (χ2=3.030, 4.153; P=0.192, 0.103). At 1 week and 1, 3, 6 months after operation, the CRT in the postoperative injection group was lower than that in the control group, the difference was significant (t=－2.622, －2.638, －3.613, －3.037; P=0.012, 0.010, 0.001, 0.004, 0.005). There was no complications such as choroid detachment, proliferative vitreoretinopathy, retinal detachment, iris redness and neovascular glaucoma in all the eyes after operation.ConclusionsIntravitreal injection of conbercept in the treatment of PDR after operation is safe and effective. It can reduce the recurrence of vitreous hemorrhage after vitrectomy, improve the BCVA.
Objective To investigate the relationship of macular microstructure and visual prognosis of micro-invasive vitrectomy for diabetic vitreous hemorrhage. Methods Fifty-three patients (53 eyes) with diabetic vitreous hemorrhage who underwent microinvasive vitrectomy were enrolled in this retrospective study. The preoperative and postoperative best-corrected visual acuities (BCVA) were recorded. The central foveal thicknesses (CFT) were measured after surgery by spectral domainoptical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). The median follow-up time was (12.81plusmn;8.22) months, ranging from six to 36 months. According to the results of SD-OCT at last follow-up time, macular edema (ME), epiretinal membrane (ERM), interrupted inside and outside section (IS/OS) and interrupted external limiting membrane (ELM) were macular abnormalities were observed. The preoperative and postoperative BCVA of different macular abnormalities were comparatively analyzed. The correlation between BCVA and macular microstructure were analyzed. Results The CFT was ranged from 103.00 mu;m to 498.00 mu;m,with the mean of（251.12plusmn;90.23） mu;m. Macular abnormalities were observed in 37 eyes (69.8%), and normal macula in 16 eyes (30.2%). Among 37 eyes with macular abnormalities, there were 20 eyes (37.7%) with ME, 12 eyes (22.6%) with ERM, 33 eyes (62.3%) with interrupted IS/OS, and 20 eyes (37.7%) with interrupted ELM. The BCVA of ME eyes decreased significantly than that in nonME eyes （t=-2.09，P＜0.05). The difference of BCVA in ERM and nonERM eyes was not statistically significant (t=-1.10,P＞0.05). The BCVA of interrupted IS/OS eyes decreased significantly more than that in continuous IS/OS eyes （t=-4.33,P＜0.05). The BCVA of interrupted ELM eyes decreased significantly more than that in continuous ELM eyes (t=-2.58, P＜0.05). The postoperative BCVA correlated positively with integrity of the IS/OS junction, CFT, and whether ME or not (r=7.65, 8.21, 4.99; P＜0.05), but insignificantly associated with integrity of the ELM and whether ERM or not (r=0.01, 0.82; P＞0.05). Conclusion The final visual acuity of patients with diabetic vitreous hemorrhage after micro-invasive vitrectomy is related to the CFT，the status of IS/OS junction, whether ME or not, but not related to integrity of the ELM or whether ERM or not.