Exact matching of trabectome-mediated ab interno trabeculectomy to conventional trabeculectomy with mitomycin C followed for 2 years.

PURPOSE: We used exact matching for a highly balanced comparison of ab interno trabeculectomy (AIT) with the trabectome to trabeculectomy with mitomycin C (TRAB). METHODS: A total of 5485 patients who underwent AIT were exact-matched to 196 TRAB patients by baseline intraocular pressure (IOP), number of glaucoma medications, and glaucoma type. Nearest-neighbor-matching was applied to age. Success was defined as a final IOP of less than 21 mmHg, IOP reduction of at least 20% reduction from baseline, and no secondary surgical interventions. Outcomes were measured at 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. RESULTS: A total of 165 AIT could be matched to 165 TRAB. The mean baseline IOP was 22.3 ± 5.6 mmHg, and the baseline number of glaucoma medications was 2.7 ± 1.1 in both groups. At 24 months, IOP was reduced to 15.8 ± 5.2 mmHg in AIT and 12.4 ± 4.7 mmHg in TRAB. IOP was lower than baseline at all visits (p < 0.01) and lower in TRAB than AIT (p < 0.01). Glaucoma medications were reduced to 2.1 ± 1.3 in AIT and 0.2 ± 0.8 in TRAB. Compared to baseline, patients used fewer drops postoperatively (p < 0.01) and more infrequently in TRAB than in AIT (p > 0.01). Secondary surgical interventions had the highest impact on success and became necessary in 15 AIT and 59 TRAB patients. Thirty-two challenging events occurred in TRAB and none in AIT. CONCLUSION: Both AIT and TRAB reduced IOP and medications. This reduction was more significant in TRAB but at the expense of four times as many secondary interventions.

Dates and date pits as ingredients in broiler starting and coturnix quail breeder diets.

Two broiler growth and two quail breeder studies were conducted to evaluate the dietary potential of dates, date meat, and date pits. The test ingredients were incorporated in broiler starting diets at levels ranging from 8 to 43% dates, 16 to 43% date meat, and 5 to 27% date pits. The quail breeder diet had ingredient ranges of 10 to 30% dates, 8 to 24% date meat, and 5 to 15% date pits. The date ingredient diets supported broiler weights and feed conversions comparable to or better than the control diet. Quail breeder feed consumption decreased at the 30% date level; however in the second trial 24% dates supported normal intake. Egg production and egg weight on all date and date part diets were equal to those of the control.