RHEOPHERESIS IN THE TREATMENT OF AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION.

PURPOSE: Evaluation of the long-term effect of rheopheresis treatment of dry form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The treatment group consisted of 65 patients and 55 patients in the control group, with a minimum follow-up period of 60 months. The basic treatment consisted of 8 rheopheresis procedures, and the additional treatment (booster therapy) of 2 rheopheresis procedures 1.5-2 years after the basic treatment. We evaluated changes in best corrected visual acuity, anatomical effect, electrical activity of the retina, haematological, biochemical and immunological parameters. RESULTS: Rheopheresis treatment contributed significantly: 1) to stabilisation of best corrected visual acuity of the treated patients, which initially showed an insignificant increased during the 2-years follow-up period, and then slightly decreased. By contrast, visual acuity decreased in the control group, to an insignificant degree up to 4 years, then statistically significantly. 2) to an improvement of the morphological findings in 62.4% of treated patients compared to 7.5% in the control group, while disease progression to stage 3 (neovascular form of the disease or geographic atrophy) with a significant decrease of visual acuity occurred in only 7.1% of treated patients, versus 37.0% in the control group. 3) to regression, even to the attachment of drusenoid pigment epithelial detachment (DPED). To a reduction of the area of DPED in 80.4% of treated patients, in contrast with an steaincrease in the area of DPED in 47.1% of patients in the control group, and the development of new DPED in only 2 eyes of treated patients compared with 16 eyes of patients in the control group. 4) to a preservation of the integrity of the ellipsoid layer in the fovea in 68.2% of the treated patients, while by contrast we found a damaged ellipsoid layer in the fovea in 66.6% of the control patients. 5) to a stabilisation of the activity of ganglion cells, the pineal system and the activity of the central area of the retina, with eccentricity between 1.8° and 30° in the treated patients, compared to alteration in the control group manifested mainly after 3.5 years of the follow-up period. 6) to a statistically significant improvement in rheological parameters, thereby increasing flow in microcirculation and positively influencing the metabolism in the retina. Also to a positive effect on the classical, alternative and lectin pathway of complement activation, a reduction in the level of proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin 9 (PCSK9), and thus also the level of LDLcholesterol, and 7) Additional treatment with 2 RHF procedures (so-called "booster therapy") seems to be a safe and suitable method of prolonging the stabilisation phase, or even improving visual acuity, anatomical and functional findings. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated positive changes in anatomical, functional and humoral parameters upon rheopheresis treatment of AMD. Their correlation provides a real possibility to identify patients at risk and to manage an individualised regime of rheopheresis therapy. This method of treatment is effective and safe, with a low percentage of non-serious adverse effects.

OCT ANGIOGRAPHY IN DISEASES OF THE VITREORETINAL INTERFACE.

AIMS: Present the use of Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) in vitreoretinal interface diseases and results of macular capillary network evaluation before and after idiopathic macular hole surgery (IMD). METHODOLOGY: Prospective evaluation of functional results, anatomical and OCTA findings before and after IMD surgery. The group consists of 8 eyes of eight patients. Preoperatively and 1, 3 and 6 months after surgery, the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was examined, fundus photography was performed, examination of the macula by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD OCT), determination of the stage of IMD according to Gases and also OCTA examination. The area of the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) and vascular density (VD) were evaluated by using of the OCTA. The operation was performed in all cases by transconjunctival suture 25G vitrectomy by one surgeon, always peeling the inner limiting membrane. An expansive gas, 7x 20% SF6, 1x 15% C3F8, was used for vitreous tamponade. RESULTS: In all 8 cases, the primary closure of the IMD occurred after the operation. The mean BCVA improved statistically significantly from 0.74 to 0.48 logMAR (p = 0.0023). The average FAZ area decreased from 0.345 mm² to 0.25 mm² after surgery (p = 0.0458). The mean VD increased from 7.93 mm-1 to 8.38 mm-1 (p = 0.2959). CONCLUSIONS: Assessment of the macular capillary network in patients with diseases of the vitreoretinal interface offers new findings and important details that can lead to prognostic information and a better understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease. We demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in FAZ in the eyes after successful IMD surgery and an indirect relationship between the improvement of BCVA and the change in FAZ area in our cohort.