ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND/AIMS: To investigate the association between VEGF gene polymorphism and response to ranibizumab in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). METHODS: A total of 92 patients were genotyped for the VEGF rs1413711 single nucleotide polymorphism. Patients with neovascular AMD initially received 3 monthly ranibizumab intravitreal injections and were retreated as needed. Visual acuity (VA) and central retinal thickness (CRT) were measured before and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after treatment. RESULTS: For patients with TT and CT genotypes, paired comparisons of mean VA showed improvement when the data obtained at all visits were compared with baseline values, in contrast to patients with the CC genotype. CRT statistically improved at all visits for all genotypes. CONCLUSION: Patients with the CC genotype showed poorer long-term functional and anatomical response to anti-VEGF therapy.
Subject(s)
Angiogenesis Inhibitors/administration & dosage , Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized/administration & dosage , Macular Degeneration/drug therapy , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide , Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/genetics , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Analysis of Variance , Female , Genotype , Humans , Intravitreal Injections , Macular Degeneration/genetics , Male , Middle Aged , Ranibizumab , Retrospective Studies , Visual AcuityABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To identify the frequency of ocular changes in patients with Hansen's disease, living in a colony hospital; to confirm the predilection for the anterior segment of the eye instead of the posterior segment. METHODS: Transversal study of 115 eyes of 58 in-patients at João Paulo II colony, Marituba-Pará, from August to October 1999. The epidemiologic data of this research were obtained from the patients' charts and from information obtained at clinical eye examination. All patients in this study were considered cured of Hansen's disease according to the Health Ministery criteria of cure. RESULTS: In 114 eyes (99.1%) ocular involvement was observed, the majority (77.2%) being the virchowian form. The most frequent ocular findings in the adnex were parcial madarosis (70.4%) and parcial eyebrow madarosis (59.1%). The most frequent ocular finding related to Hansen's disease was the decrease and/or absence of corneal sensitivity observed in 42.6% of the eyes, followed by paralytic midriasis (16.5%) found in the patients after surgery for cataract extraction; this finding was closely related to iris atrophy (8.7%), commonly found in these patients. CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of ocular involvement in Hansen patients, especially in virchowian form, indicates the need of complete assistance to these patients even after the resolution of the disease.
