Understanding the treatment paradigm and the sequencing of antiglaucoma fixed-dose combinations in a tertiary center in South India.

PURPOSE: To analyze the medical management of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and ocular hypertension (OHT) and the placement of fixed-drug combination drugs (FDC) in the treatment paradigm at a tertiary eye care center in South India. METHODS: Retrospective study (January 2011-December 2015) of newly diagnosed POAG and OHT patients (≥18 years) with ≥5 years follow-up. Primary outcome included percentage use of different antiglaucoma drugs (at initiation) and FDCs at the first, second, and third progression (sequencing). Secondary outcomes: Percentage discontinuation for different FDCs, efficacy parameters (decrease in intraocular pressure (IOP)/visual field), adverse events, and the median number of antiglaucoma medications (AGMs) after 5 years. RESULTS: Three hundred and seventy eyes (198 patients) were analyzed; 84% of them had POAG. Prostaglandin analogs (PGAs) were the most common (66.2%). FDCs were started in 48 eyes (12.9%), with brimonidine + timolol combination being the most common. FDC usage at subsequent modifications was 10.1%, 24.04%, and 30.0%. Beta-blockers and PGAs were the most frequently prescribed AGMs in our practice pattern, with ß-blockers being the most consistent one. CONCLUSION: This study is a fairly large study with a minimum of a 5-year follow-up of patients with POAG and OHT and gives insights into the treatment patterns, use of FDCs, and the need for multiple medications over time.

Emerging antimicrobial resistance and need for antimicrobial stewardship for ocular infections in India: A narrative review.

Patients with ocular infections are at increased risk of vision impairment and may require immediate medical care to preserve their vision. Management of ocular bacterial infections has evolved in recent years and includes a pragmatic selection of broad-spectrum antibiotics based on the causative bacteria. Nevertheless, the treatment of bacterial ocular infections is increasingly becoming a challenge, as the causative bacterium acquires resistance to antibiotics through intrinsic and acquired methods. From an Indian perspective, along with the challenges of antibiotic resistance, there are other factors such as lack of knowledge on epidemiology, and lack of data on local susceptibility patterns of ocular pathogens that have significant impact on the management of ocular infections. This narrative review summarizes the available knowledge on prescribing antibiotics for five common ocular infections in India. It further highlights the significance of the understanding of antimicrobial susceptibility patterns across India as a cornerstone to promote rational use of ocular antibiotics. This review indicates that large-scale antimicrobial resistance surveillance studies can facilitate the synchronization of ophthalmic antimicrobial prescription policies with local antibiotic resistance patterns. Further, establishment of an antimicrobial stewardship program in ophthalmology can potentially increase the efficacy of diagnostic tools, and implement earlier adoption of effective antibiotics. Overall, this review provides consolidated information and key considerations for treatment decision-making of common ocular infections in India.

Sub-optimal gain in vision in retinal vein occlusion due to under-treatment in the real world: results from an open-label prospective study of Intravitreal Ranibizumab.

BACKGROUND: Macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is an important cause of loss of vision. Intravitreal injections (IVI) of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are the standard of care in this disease, as shown in numerous randomized controlled trials. The purpose of this study was to study the efficacy and safety of ranibizumab, an anti-VEGF agent, in the real-world setting. METHODS: This was 48 weeks, open-label, prospective, multicentre, observational study. Patients diagnosed with ME secondary to RVO were treated with IVI of Ranibizumab 0.5 mg in real-world conditions. Efficacy was measured by improvement seen in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in terms of Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) Letter Scores and change in central retinal thickness (CRT) measured by optical coherence tomography. RESULTS: One hundred eyes of 100 patients (79 with branch retinal vein occlusion and 21 with central retinal vein occlusion) were recruited in the study. The mean (standard deviation, SD) BCVA was 52.8 (21.99) letters at baseline and 62.3 (24.40) letters at week 48. From baseline, there was a significant improvement in BCVA by 7.7 letters (p = 0.001) at 48 weeks. The mean (SD) of CRT was 479.9 (216.25) µm at baseline and it decreased significantly to 284.9 (171.35) µm at week 48 (p < 0.001). During the study period, the average number of intravitreal injections was 3.5 per patient. There was no report of endophthalmitis in any eye. CONCLUSIONS: Ranibizumab is well tolerated and effective in treating macular edema secondary to RVO in real-world clinical settings. However, there is under-treatment compared to controlled clinical trials, and the gain in vision is sub-optimal with under-treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trials Registry - India: CTRI/2015/07/005985 .