Change in diabetic panretinal photocoagulation incidence.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Diabetic blindness occurs most often among working-age people. Panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) can prevent this outcome. Administrative data examined changes in PRP incidence rates. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Anonymous data from the "claims submitted" files of an insurer with nationwide representation was used. This health insurance was a job benefit, and the sample included 6,085,750 U.S. employees and their dependents. Those who received PRP for diabetic retinopathy were compared to all others with diabetes mellitus. Although some enrollees had more than one PRP procedure, each procedure was considered a unique event. The rate change was evaluated by chi-square tests with post hoc tests for pair-wise comparisons. RESULTS: A total of 14,856 PRP procedures were performed. An incidence rate reduction from 0.95% to 0.67% (chi-square = 243.6818, P < .0001) was found within the study interval. CONCLUSION: The incidence of PRP was reduced in this sample of U.S. workers and their dependents.

Frosted branch angiitis secondary to herpes simplex virus infection progressing to acute retinal necrosis.

PURPOSE: To describe a case of frosted branch angiitis secondary to herpes simplex virus type 2 infection that progressed to acute retinal necrosis. METHODS: The medical records and clinical photographs were reviewed for a patient with frosted branch angiitis that progressed to acute retinal necrosis. RESULTS: The patient rapidly developed acute retinal necrosis followed by rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. Polymerase chain reaction analysis of the vitreous was positive for herpes simplex virus type 2. DISCUSSION: Frosted branch angiitis is a clinical sign that may represent active viral disease capable of progressing to acute retinal necrosis.

Comparison of the modified Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study and mild macular grid laser photocoagulation strategies for diabetic macular edema.

OBJECTIVE: To compare 2 laser photocoagulation techniques for treatment of diabetic macular edema: the modified Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) direct/grid photocoagulation technique and a potentially milder (but potentially more extensive) mild macular grid (MMG) laser technique in which microaneurysms are not treated directly and small mild burns are placed throughout the macula, whether or not edema is present. METHODS: Two hundred sixty-three subjects (mean age, 59 years) with previously untreated diabetic macular edema were randomly assigned to receive laser photocoagulation by either the modified ETDRS (162 eyes) or MMG (161 eyes) technique. Visual acuity, fundus photographs, and optical coherence tomography measurements were obtained at baseline and at 3.5, 8, and 12 months. Treatment was repeated if diabetic macular edema persisted. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Change in optical coherence tomography measurements at 12-month follow-up. RESULTS: Among eyes with a baseline central subfield thickness of 250 microm or greater, central subfield thickening decreased by an average of 88 microm in the modified ETDRS group and by 49 microm in the MMG group at 12-month follow-up (adjusted mean difference, 33 microm; 95% confidence interval, 5-61 microm; P = .02). Weighted inner zone thickening by optical coherence tomography decreased by 42 microm in the modified ETDRS group and by 28 microm in the MMG group (adjusted mean difference, 14 microm; 95% confidence interval, 1-27 microm; P = .04); maximum retinal thickening (maximum thickening of the central and 4 inner subfields) decreased by 66 and 39 microm, respectively (adjusted mean difference, 27 microm; 95% confidence interval, 6-47 microm; P = .01), and retinal volume decreased by 0.8 and 0.4 mm3, respectively (adjusted mean difference, 0.3 mm3; 95% confidence interval, 0.02-0.53 mm3; P = .03). At 12 months, the mean change in visual acuity was 0 letters in the modified ETDRS group and 2 letters worse in the MMG group (adjusted mean difference, 2 letters; 95% confidence interval, -0.5 to 5 letters; P = .10). CONCLUSIONS: At 12 months after treatment, the MMG technique was less effective at reducing optical coherence tomography-measured retinal thickening than the more extensively evaluated current modified ETDRS laser photocoagulation approach. However, the visual acuity outcome with both approaches is not substantially different. Given these findings, a larger long-term trial of the MMG technique is not justified. APPLICATION TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Modified ETDRS focal photocoagulation should continue to be a standard approach for treating diabetic macular edema. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00071773.

Statins ameliorate endothelial barrier permeability changes in the cerebral tissue of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Statins may have favorable effects on endothelial barrier function. The effect of rosuvastatin and simvastatin therapy (10 mg/kg) for 5 weeks on blood-brain barrier (BBB), blood-retinal barrier (BRB), and cardiac muscle permeability of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats was studied. The size-selective permeability of different vascular beds to a group of fluorescein isothiocyanate dextrans of varying molecular weights was measured. The volume of distribution of 250-, 70-, and 40-kDa dextrans in the cerebral tissue of diabetic rats were significantly increased. The volume of distribution of these dextrans in cerebral tissue was normalized by both statins. Diabetes did not significantly alter the BRB, but both statins decreased the volume of distribution of 70- and 40-kDa dextrans in the retina. The volume of distribution of 40 kDa in cardiac muscle was increased in diabetes, and this change was prevented with statin treatment. Treatment with rosuvastatin and mevalonate (150 mg/kg in drinking water for 5 weeks) did not alter the volume of distribution measurements. We concluded that 1) diabetes in rats is associated with significant changes in the BBB permeability; 2) statin treatment improves the endothelial barrier function in cerebral tissue, retina, and cardiac muscle; and 3) this statin effect could not be attributed to HMGCoA reductase inhibition.

Severe pupil distortion following transchamber repair of a cyclodialysis cleft.

This report describes a potential complication following the repair of a traumatic cyclodialysis cleft in a pediatric patient using a novel technique. A healthy 11-year-old boy suffered a blunt traumatic tennis ball injury to his left eye. He underwent repair of a retinal dialysis with detachment shortly after the injury. Postoperatively, he developed persistent hypotony, shallow anterior chamber, and hypotony maculopathy. An occult cyclodialysis cleft was suspected. Examination under anesthesia revealed a small cyclodialysis deft. The cleft was closed by transchamber placement of prolene sutures across the cleft under direct visualization through a Tano lens. Postoperative course was complicated by severe pupillary distortion despite subsequent suture removal.

Endophthalmitis in patients with disseminated fungal disease.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Fungal endophthalmitis caused by dissemination from extraocular fungal infections has been reported to vary between 9% and 45%. However, recent clinical experience disagrees with that. This study is an investigation of patients in an inner city teaching hospital, the risks associated with endogenous fungal endophthalmitis, and this incidence. METHODS: All ophthalmology consultations between February 1995 and August 2000 that might be associated with disseminated fungal infection were examined in a prospective manner. Patients were excluded if there was no evidence of a positive fungal culture from any site at any time. Visual symptoms were recorded along with ophthalmologic and systemic examination features. Information was gathered, including the identity of cultured organisms, the sites from which the organisms were obtained, and the patients' disposition. RESULTS: During this interval, 170 consultation requests contained the words "endophthalmitis" or "retinitis" and/or indicated concern about disseminated fungal infections. Extraocular fungal infections were found in 114 patients, but only 82 of them had evidence of systemic dissemination. Some patients had more than one organism. The following are listed in decreasing frequency of occurrence: Candida albicans, Torulopsis glabrata, Candida tropicalis, Candida parapsilosis, Candida krusei, Aspergillus niger, and others. Only two patients had evidence of chorioretinitis and progressed to fungal endophthalmitis. CONCLUSIONS: Endophthalmitis was rare among these patients with known fungal infections. Less than 2% had any related ophthalmic manifestations. Nevertheless, since treatment can save vision, evidence of intraocular infection should be sought as eagerly as before.