Functional and structural neuroretinal disorders in HIV Controllers. Prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence and cumulative incidence of neuro-retinal-disorders (NRD) in HIV-controllers. DESIGN: Prospective, single-centre, cohort study of people living with HIV (PLWH): elite-controllers, long-term-non-progressors and early diagnosed. METHODS: The study compared "HIV-controllers" (including elite-controllers and long-term-non-progressors), who were not on antiretroviral therapy (ART), and "HIV-treatment" (HIV-infected subjects with a recent diagnosis and on ART). A matched cohort of "non-HIV subjects" was created. NRD was defined as at least one altered (not normal) ophthalmological parameter (functional or structural). Functional (visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, chromatic vision, visual field) and structural parameters (ganglion cells, macular nerve fibre layer, peripapillary nerve fibre layers, vascular calibre) as well as quality of life (Medical Outcomes Study-HIV Short Form-30) were assessed. RESULTS: Between March 2012 and November 2015, the study included all HIV-controllers (16 elite-controllers, 1 long-term-non-progressor), 11 HIV-treatment and 16 non-HIV. Prevalence of NRD at baseline was 88.2% (15/17, 95% CI: 65.7%-96.7%), 90.9% (10/11, 95% CI: 62.3%-98.4%) and 56.3% (9/16, 95% CI: 33.2%-76.9%), respectively. Cumulative incidence at 3 years was 50% (1/2), 100% (1/1) and 33.3% (2/6), respectively. None of the participants manifested ocular clinical symptoms. Three years later, prevalence of NRD was 92.3% (12/13, 95% CI: 66.7%-98.6%), 75% (6/8, 95% CI: 40.9%-92.9%) and 50.0% (7/14, 95% CI: 26.8%-73.2%), respectively. Contrast sensitivity and structural parameters were globally the most affected among PLWH. Quality of life (total score) [median (interquartile range)] at baseline and 3 years was 82 (71-89) and 74 (63.5-79.25) in HIV-controllers and 80 (73-88) and 88 (83-92) in HIV-treatment. CONCLUSIONS: HIV-controllers and those individuals on ART presented a higher percentage of NRD than non-HIV. Our results suggest that NRD could be a biomarker of ocular aging among PLWH.

Two-year Results After Deep Sclerectomy With Nonabsorbable Uveoscleral Implant (Esnoper-Clip): Surgical Area Analysis Using Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography.

PURPOSE: To report 2-year results of deep sclerectomy (DS) with mitomycin C and the uveoscleral implant Esnoper-Clip (AJL Ophthalmics, Álava, Spain), a nonabsorbable hema implant, and the morphologic analysis of the surgical area with anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 41 eyes of 41 patients with medically uncontrolled open angle glaucoma who underwent DS with the uveoscleral implant were included in this prospective interventional study. Patients were recruited and selected sequentially. All patients were followed at least for 12 months and 36 of them for 24 months. Absolute success was defined as intraocular pressure (IOP)≤18 mm Hg and ≥20% of IOP reduction without topical medication. Relative success was defined with the same criteria but with the addition of any antihypertensive medication. Primary outcomes were IOP decrease in the postoperative stage. Secondary outcomes were number of medication, best-corrected visual acuity changes, rate of goniopuncture, needle revision, and AS-OCT analysis of the bleb area. AS-OCT analysis, using Visante OCT, was performed at 1, 12, and 24 months. RESULTS: Absolute success rate was 68.3% at 12 months and 61.1% at 2 years. Relative success was 78.0% and 71.4%, at 12 and 24 months, respectively. A significant IOP decrease was observed, from 27.3±6.3 to 14.9±4.4 mm Hg at 12 months and 15.3±5.2 mm Hg at 24 months (P<0.001). There was also a significant reduction in the number of medications, dropping from a mean of 2.5 to 0.28 one year and 0.36 two years after the surgery (P<0.001). Main postoperative complications were transient: 4 eyes with seidel phenomenon at 24 hours (10.3%), 3 hyphema (7.7%), and 1 choroidal detachment (2.6%). Mean intrascleral space height, measured by AS-OCT, was 0.78 mm and it showed a significant positive correlation with IOP at 12 months. Neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet laser goniopuncture was performed in 25 eyes (61%) at 12 months and in 27 (66.8%) by 24 months. CONCLUSIONS: DS with the uveoscleral implant is a safe and effective procedure to lower IOP in open angle glaucoma patients. IOP reduction is maintained over 2 years and is correlated to the postoperative height of the intrascleral bleb. Supraciliary implantation reduces intrascleral lake dependency, being a simultaneous drainage alternative to the subconjunctival pathway.

Deep Sclerectomy With a New Nonabsorbable Uveoscleral Implant (Esnoper-Clip): 1-Year Outcomes.

PURPOSE: To report the safety and the effectiveness of deep sclerectomy (DS) with a new nonabsorbable uveoscleral hema implant (Esnoper-Clip) designed to increase trabecular and uveoscleral outflow and to achieve higher intrascleral blebs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-seven eyes of 27 patients with open-angle glaucoma, who underwent DS with an Esnoper-Clip implant, were included in this study. All patients were followed up after 12 months. RESULTS: A significant decrease in intraocular pressure was observed after surgery, changing from a preoperative mean of 26.6±5.2 mm Hg to a postoperative mean of 15.3±5 mm Hg (P<0.001) at 12 months. There was also a significant reduction in the number of glaucoma drugs needed, varying from 2.5 per patient to 0.3 (P<0.001) 1 year after surgery. The main intrascleral lake height and volume at 12 months was 0.7±0.1 mm and 3.9±1.3 mm, respectively. No intraoperative complications occurred. The main postoperative complications were a positive Seidel test result at 24 hours in 2 eyes (7.4%), hyphema in 2 eyes (7.4%), and choroidal detachment in 1 eye (3.7%). All these complications resolved successfully. The need for additional mitomycin-C injections was recorded in 4 eyes (14.8%), twice in 2 of them. Twelve eyes (44.4%) underwent postsurgical Nd:YAG laser goniopuncture with a mean time between surgery and this procedure of 4.3 months. Mean intraocular pressure after Nd:YAG laser goniopuncture decreased from 19.2 to 15.5 mm Hg (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: DS with an uveoscleral hema implant (Esnoper-Clip) is a safe and effective technique for the management of open-angle glaucoma.