Objective lt;brgt;To evaluated the effect of transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) on age-related macular degeneration (AMD). lt;brgt; lt;brgt;Methods lt;brgt;Sixty-two cases (62 eyes) of exudative AMD were managed with TTT. Before treatment, 58 cases underwent fundus fluorescein angiography(FFA),42 cases underwent simultaneous indocyanine green angiography (ICGA), and 56 cases underwent optic coherence tomography (OCT).TTT was delivered using a 810 nm diode laser with variable spot sizes 0.5-3.0 mm and power range 60-40 mW,60 seconds duration. Sixty-two cases were followed up for 1-10 months with 4.8 months average. lt;brgt; lt;brgt;Results lt;brgt;The visual acuities of last visit were compared with those before the treatment. The visual acuity was unchanged in 43 cases (69.3%), improved in 15 cases (24.2%), and declined in 4 cases (6.5%). OCT was re-done in 51 cases and compared with OCT images before TTT treatment. The height of macular edema was unchanged in 29 cases (56.9%), decreased in 18 cases (35.3%), and increased in 4 cases (7.8%). The amelioration of visual acuity was compatible with that of macular configuration in the majority of cases (74.5%). Only in 13 cases (25.5%) the amelioration of visual acuity lagged behind that of macular configuration. The re-treatment was performed in 18 cases (29.1%), probably due to insufficiency of laser power. No side-effect was found. lt;brgt; lt;brgt;Conclusion lt;brgt;TTT makes most of the cases of exudative AMD retaining or improving their visual acuity. The employment is secured. Further exploration is needed in order to obtain the parameters of the laser treatment. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2002, 18: 180-183)
Purpose To evaluate shortterm visual acuity effects of a single photodynamic therapy(PDT) treatment with Visudyne (CIBA Vision Corp, Duluth, Ga) for choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods Definitely diagnostic AMD patients with classic CNV were treated with PDT (5 cases, 7 eyes). The data of visual acuity testing, ophthalmic examination, color photographs, optic coherence tomography, fluorescein angiograms and indocyanine green angiogram before photodynamic therapy and 1 week ,1 month after it were used to evaluate the effects of a single treatment of PDT with Visudyne. Results The visual acuity of all the treated eyes at the follow-up examination at 1 month after PDT were not reduced. Distinct reduction of fluorescein leakage from CNV was noted in all patients by 1 week after PDT. Fluorescein leakage from a portion of the CNV reappeared by 1 month after treatment in 2 eyes. Conclusion PDT with Visudyne achieved short-term cessation of fluorescein leakage from CNV without loss of vision or growth of classic CNV in some patwo ients with AMD. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis,2000,16:213-216)
ObjectiveTo seek the evidencebased medicine (EBM) evidences of curative effects of intravitreous injection with triamcinolone acetonide (TA) for macular edema.MethodsAll articles of intravitreous injection TA for macular edema published in English or Chinese were picked up from databases of MEDLINE and CNKI and then evaluated according to EBM standard. The data in accord with research standard were selected by using excluding and including criteria, and classified according to the appraisal standard of clinical therapeutic documents. ResultsIn the selected papers, none in gradeⅠevidence; 1 in gradeⅡevidence; 7 in grade Ⅲ evidence; 24 in grade Ⅳ evidence; and 19 in gradeⅤevidence. Forty-two papers reported that intravitreous injection with TA had significant effect for macular edema within 3 months, and the improvement of visual acuity was recorded in these papers. Regression of macular edema was recorded in 23 papers. Among 20 papers, side-effect was found in 93 eyes (31.41%) and the serious sideeffect in 4 eyes (1.35%).ConclusionsIntravitreous injection with TA has some curative effects for macular edema in short term, but the quality of current study has not been encouraging. There are no grade I document and lack of the study of validity in long term and essentiality and validity of retreatment. The special attention should be payed on the increasing persistency of efficacy and preventing the serious side-effects in the future investigation.(Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2005,21:220-223)
Pyroptosis is an inflammatory form of programmed cell death, including canonical and non-canonical pyroptosis pathway. Studies on pyroptosis have been reported in a variety of retinal diseases, but they are more focused on common diseases such as diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration. Many retinal diseases are difficult to treat because of the complexity of their etiology and pathogenesis. The discovery of pyroptosis has brought new content to the pathogenesis of these diseases, and also pointed a new direction for the treatment. Pyroptosis does not occur independently, and it is related to apoptosis and autophagy, but the specific mechanism is not clear. However, the most important biomolecule in the process of pyroptosis have been basically determined, and some methods can be used to interfere with pyroptosis, which has obtained preliminary achievement, suggesting that inhibition of pyroptosis may be a new direction for the treatment of retinal diseases and has broad research prospects.
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a fundus disease characterized by degeneration of retinal photoreceptor cells, RPE cells and choroidal capillaries. The pathogenesis is not clear and there is no effective treatment. Cell therapies can slow or reverse the vision loss of AMD in animal models, which include implantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, pluripotent stem cells, RPE cells into the subretinal cavity. Therefore, cell therapy is a promising strategy for the treatment of AMD.
Objective To observe the short-term effect of changing the sequence of PRP and MLP on the pre-proliferative or proliferative diabetic retinopathy patients with clinical significant macular edema (CSEM). Methods Sixty-three consecutive pre-proliferative or proliferative diabetic retinopathy outpatients (103 eyes) with clinical significant macular edema were selected and divided into two groups: 54 eyes in patients of group A accepted MLP one month prior to PRP and 49 eyes in patients of group B accepted the photocoagulative therapies in a contrary sequence. All the patients were followed up for 3 to 13 months and visual acuity. Light sensitivity of 5deg;macular threshold, and FFA were performed pre- and post-photocoagution. Results The improvement of visual acuity was found to be better in group A than that of group B (Plt;0.01) 2 months after the therapy, since then, there was no significant defference (Pgt;0.05) in both groups. Three and 4 months after the treatment, there was no significant difference in change of light sensitivity of 5deg;macular threshold in both groups. The macular leakages of 59 eyes, 32 ingroup A and 27 in group B, were well controlled. Conclusion Among the pre-proliferative or proliferative diabetic retinopathy patients with CSEM, visual acuity of those who accept MLP prior to PRP more rapidly than those who accept contrary sequence of photocoagulation, but the changing of therapeutic sequence might have no dramatic influence on light sensilivity of 5deg;macular threshold. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis,2000,16:150-152)
ObjectiveTo observe the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and aquaporin 4 (AQP4) in the inner limiting membrane (ILM) of diabetic retinopathy (DR) with macular edema, and analyze the correlation between VEGF and AQP4 expression. Methods A cross-sectional study. From September 2019 to September 2020, 38 eyes of 38 patients with DR and idiopathic macular hole (iMH) who underwent vitrectomy (PPV) combined with ILM stripping at the Hangzhou campus of The Affiliated Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University at Hangzhou were included in the study. Among them, there were 25 males and 13 females who aged 37-76 years old, average age was 59±10 years old; All eye included 15 right eyes and 23 left eyes. iMH and DR included 9 eyes in 9 cases and 29 eyes in 29 cases, respectively, and they were divided into iMH group and DR group. The DR group was divided into DME group and no DME group according to whether it was accompanied by diabetic macular edema (DME), with 14 eyes and 15 eyes respectively. After the stripped ILM tissue was fixed, immunofluorescence analysis was performed to obtain a picture of the fluorescence mode of AQP4 and VEGF, and the fluorescence intensity value of VEGF and AQP4 was measured by Image J software. The differences of VEGF and AQP4 immunofluorescence values in the specimens between groups were compared by one-way analysis of variance. The correlation between the fluorescence intensity of AQP4 and the fluorescence intensity of VEGF was analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis. Results The average fluorescence intensity values?of VEGF and AQP4 in ILM specimens of DME group, no DME group and iMH group were 38.96±7.53, 28.25±3.12, 30.07±4.84 and 49.07±8.73, 37.96±6.45, 38.08±5.04, respectively. The average fluorescence intensity of VEGF and AQP4 in the ILM specimens of the DME group was significantly higher than that of the no DME group and iMH group, and the difference was statistically significant (F=13.977, 9.454; P＜0.05). The average fluorescence intensity values of VEGF and AQP4 on IML specimens in the DR group were 33.80±7.91, 43.76±9.44, respectively. The results of Pearson correlation analysis showed that the fluorescence intensity of VEGF and AQP4 in the ILM specimens of the DR group was significantly positively correlated (r=0.597, P=0.003). ConclusionsThe expressions of VEGF and AQP4 in ILM of eyes with DR and DME are significantly increased compared with those without DME. The expression of VEGF and AQP4 in ILM of eyes with DR is positively correlated.
ObjectiveTo observe and analyze the influencing factors for the prognosis of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drug treatment in patients with macular neovascularization (MNV) under 45 years old. MethodsA retrospective clinical case study. A total of 89 MNV patients with 96 eyes who were diagnosed and treated with anti-VEGF drugs in Department of Ophthalmology of The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University from January 2020 to January 2024 were included in the study. The ages of all patients were ＜45 years old. All patients underwent best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) examinations; 49 eyes underwent OCT angiography (OCTA) examination. The BCVA examination was carried out using the international standard visual acuity chart and was converted into the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) visual acuity for statistics. The macular foveal thickness (CMT) was measured using an OCT instrument. The size of the MNV lesion was measured using the software of the OCTA self-contained device. The affected eyes were given intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF drugs once, and then the drugs were administered as needed after evaluation. The follow-up time after treatment was ≥6 months. During the follow-up, relevant examinations were performed using the same equipment and methods as before treatment. The last follow-up was taken as the time point for efficacy evaluation. According to the OCT image characteristics of the MNV lesions, the affected eyes were divided into the fibrous scar group and the non-fibrous scar group, with 52 (54.16%, 52/96) and 44 (45.83%, 44/96) eyes respectively. Comparing the CMT and BCVA at the last follow-up with those at the baseline, the affected eyes were divided into the CMT reduction group, the CMT increase group, the BCVA improvement group and the BCVA reduction group, with 66 (68.75%, 66/96), 30 (31.25%, 30/96) eyes and 74 (77.08%, 74/96), 22 (22.92%, 22/96) eyes respectively. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for the comparison of non-normally distributed measurement data between groups. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the independent factors affecting the prognosis of MNV patients. ResultsThere were no statistically significant differences in the age (Z=?0.928) and gender composition ratio (χ2= 0.123) between the fibrous scar group and the non-fibrous scar group (P＞0.05); there were statistically significant differences in the number of eyes with a follow-up time of ≥36 months and ＜36 months (χ2= 3.906, P=0.048); there were statistically significant differences in the size of the MNV lesions (Z=?2.385, P=0.017); there were statistically significant differences in the number of eyes with different vascular network morphologies (χ2=12.936, P=0.001). Before treatment and at the last follow-up, the CMT of the affected eyes was 267.50 (237.25, 311.75) μm and 242.00 (217.25, 275.75) μm respectively; logMAR BCVA was 0.20 (0.10, 0.50) and 0.35 (0.16, 0.60) logMAR respectively. There were statistically significant differences in the CMT and logMAR BCVA before treatment and at the last follow-up (Z=?3.311,?1.984; P=0.001, 0.047). There were statistically significant differences in different ages (Z=?2.284), myopic diopter (χ2=7.437), etiology (χ2=6.956), and disease course (Z=?1.687) between the CMT reduction group and the CMT increase group (P＜0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the number of eyes with different subjective feelings between the BCVA improvement group and the BCVA reduction group (χ2=10.133, P＜0.05). The results of logistic regression analysis showed that the etiology was an independent risk factor for CMT thickening. ConclusionsAge, etiology, myopic diopter, disease course, follow-up time, lesion size and the morphology of the neovascular network are the influencing factors for the prognosis of anti-VEGF drug treatment in MNV patients under 45 years old. The etiology is an independent risk factor for CMT increase.
Dysregulation and activation of immune processes are important in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) pathogenesis. The single nucleotide polymorphism of complement factor H is widely recognized as a risk factor to AMD. Over-activation of nod-like receptor3 and polymorphism of Toll-Like Receptor 3 also associated with AMD. Except for innate immune processes, adaptive immunity also play a critical role in AMD, a growing body of evidence supports that auto-antibodies and T cells are related with AMD. Additionally A2E and lipid oxidation byproducts might also have a role in AMD pathogenesis.