Meta-analysis of metabolic surgery versus medical treatment for macrovascular complications and mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Although research has shown that metabolic surgery is superior to medical therapy in terms of glycemic control and other cardiovascular risk factors, it remains unclear whether these beneficial effects ultimately result in a reduced incidence of macrovascular complications or mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes. OBJECTIVE: This meta-analysis assesses the impact of metabolic surgery versus medical therapy on mortality and macrovascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes. SETTING: Academic centers in the United States, Europe, and Asia. METHODS: An unrestricted systematic literature search of MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials was performed. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), case-control trials, and cohort studies comparing the effect of metabolic surgery on mortality and the incidence of diabetes-associated macrovascular complications to a medically treated control group were identified. The last search was performed on June 15, 2018. RESULTS: The literature search yielded 3721 potentially eligible articles. Nineteen studies (6 RCTs, 13 nonrandomized studies) were ultimately included. Metabolic surgery was found to be associated with reduced mortality (odds ratio .34, 95% confidence interval [.25-.46], P < .00001) and macrovascular complication rates (odds ratio .38, 95% confidence interval [.22-.67], P = .0008). CONCLUSIONS: Because metabolic surgery is associated with lower mortality and macrovascular complication rates than medical therapy, it seems to be the superior treatment choice for patients with type 2 diabetes. Additional, high-quality RCTs with adequate follow-up comparing state of the art surgical and medical therapies including glifozins and liraglutide are nevertheless needed to identify which patients would benefit most from metabolic surgery.

Intravitreal Sustained-Release Steroid Implants for the Treatment of Macular Edema following Surgical Removal of Epiretinal Membranes.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of intravitreal dexamethasone implant for the treatment of postoperative persistent cystoid macular edema (CME) following macular pucker surgery. METHODS: In this multicenter study, we retrospectively reviewed the data of 37 patients (39 eyes) who had been treated with intravitreal dexamethasone implant (Ozurdex®) for persistent CME following macular pucker surgery. Main outcome measures were change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central retinal thickness (CRT). RESULTS: All eyes underwent spectral domain optical coherence tomography examination within 130 days after implantation. We observed a significant decrease in mean CRT from 519.9 to 392.9 µm (p < 0.0001). By this time, mean BCVA had improved from 0.60 to 0.43 logMAR (p = 0.003). Seventeen eyes (43.6%) required at least 1 repeat injection of dexamethasone. Of these, 8 (47%) eyes received a total number of 3 or more dexamethasone injections. CONCLUSION: Intravitreal dexamethasone implant injection is an effective treatment option for persistent CME following macular pucker surgery.