Application of data mining algorithms to study data trends for corneal transplantation.

PURPOSE: To utilize data mining for analysis of corneal transplantations (CT) in Florida from 2005-2014, segmented by demographics, geography, and transplantation technique. METHODS: A retrospective, database study was performed utilizing data queried from the Healthcare and Cost Utilization Project using Current Procedural Terminology codes for lamellar keratoplasty (ALK), endothelial keratoplasty (EK), and penetrating keratoplasty (PKP). Payer status, ethnic group, age, gender, and geography (urban versus rural) was extracted from each surgical encounter and reconfigured to provide a "clean", congruous dataset for statistical analysis. This Institutional Review Board-approved study did not utilize identifiable patient information; thus, individual informed consent was not required. RESULTS: From 2005-2014, CT (n=28,607) represented less than 1% of the total ambulatory surgeries (n=12,695,932) performed in Florida. EK volume increased while PKP and ALK volume decreased, year-over-year. Statistical significance was found between transplantation technique by sex (P<0.001) and ethnic group (P<0.001). The largest sex discrepancy was EK (59% female, 41% male). White patients underwent relatively fewer PKP than EK (71% vs. 83% of totals), while Black patients underwent relatively more PKP than EK (14% vs 6% of totals). Statistical significance was found between techniques by payer (P<0.001). Medicare was the most common payer for all techniques, but ALK and PKP had higher percentages of private insurance and self-pay. No statistical significance was found between techniques by geographic location. Corneal edema (22.4%), endothelial dystrophy (17.5%), and bullous keratopathy (10.9%) were erroneously coded as indications for ALK. Corneal scars (2.5%) and corneal opacity (1.7%) were erroneously coded as indications for EK. CONCLUSIONS: CT rates in Florida appear to overrepresent the female sex and underrepresent ethnic minorities, with propensities between PKP and African Americans, EK and female patients, and EK and Medicare reimbursement. Our study further confirms the utility of data mining for providing efficient, detailed, and practical insights into ophthalmology procedures, while highlighting the intrinsic challenges of large datasets.

Scleritis, keratitis, and orbital cellulitis: isolated ocular manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Systemic autoimmune diseases are associated with ocular inflammatory conditions such as episcleritis, scleritis, keratitis, and uveitis. However, ocular manifestations have been reported to correlate with the extent of systemic disease. We present a patient with scleritis, keratitis, and orbital cellulitis, as the isolated manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). No microbial etiology was identified and antibiotics did not produce clinical improvement. The patient improved significantly with steroids and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. Although ocular inflammation has been previously remarked in SLE of systemic severity, in this case there were no other organs with SLE involvement. We briefly discuss the ocular manifestations of SLE, which can involve all segments of the eye, including cornea, sclera, retina, uvea, optic nerve, and orbit.

LASER demarcation photocoagulation for rhegmatogenous retinal detachments.

PURPOSE: to evaluate demarcation laser photocoagulation (DLP) for macula-sparing rhegmatogenous retinal detachments (RRD) with and without symptoms of posterior vitreous separation or progressive visual field defect. METHODS: retrospective, interventional, single surgeon case series of consecutive patients with RRD treated with demarcation laser photocoagulation between March 1999 and February 2008 at an academic center. The null hypothesis was that there exists no difference in the rate of progression for retinal detachment irrespective of the presence ('symptomatic') or absence ('asymptomatic') of symptoms of posterior vitreous separation or visual field defect at presentation. RESULTS: a total of 27 eyes of 26 patients were included in the study. In all, 22 of the 27 eyes (81.4%) did not require additional treatment and remained attached during mean follow-up of 38.4 months. None of the 14 asymptomatic patients required surgery (0%) whereas 5 out of the 13 patients (38.5%) who were symptomatic at presentation required further intervention (p=0.016): one patient required additional laser only and four patients required scleral buckling or vitrectomy. Pre- and post- DLP logMAR visual acuity was 0.15 and 0.14, respectively. CONCLUSION: demarcation laser photocoagulation is an effective alternative to scleral buckling or vitrectomy for treating asymptomatic RRDs. It has a high failure rate among eyes with symptomatic RRD.