Safety and Effectiveness of CyPass Supraciliary Micro-Stent in Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma: 5-Year Results from the COMPASS XT Study.

PURPOSE: To characterize the long-term (up to 5 years) safety and effectiveness of the supraciliary Micro-Stent (Alcon) implanted at the time of phacoemulsification in eyes with coexisting open-angle glaucoma (OAG) and visually significant cataract. DESIGN: Three-year safety extension of a 2-year randomized clinical trial. METHODS: Patients from the multicenter Study of an Implantable Device for Lowering Intraocular Pressure in Glaucoma Patients Undergoing Cataract Surgery (COMPASS) trial who underwent Micro-Stent implantation plus phacoemulsification (n = 215) or phacoemulsification alone (n = 67) were evaluated 36, 48, and 60 months postoperatively. The primary outcome measurement was the occurrence of sight-threatening ocular adverse events. Evaluations at each time point included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), anterior and posterior segment examinations, tonometry, gonioscopy, pachymetry, perimetry, specular microscopy, and assessment of adverse events. RESULTS: Three sight-threatening ocular adverse events occurred, 2 in the Micro-Stent group and 1 in the control group, but none of these events was related to the Micro-Stent device. Ocular adverse events were of similar frequencies in both groups, the most common of which were BCVA loss of ≥2 lines compared with best BCVA in COMPASS and worsening of visual field mean defect (VFMD) ≥2.5 dB compared with month 24. Changes in mean BCVA from baseline, clinical examinations, pachymetry, and VFMD were similar in the 2 groups. At 60 months, a higher proportion of subjects in the Micro-Stent group (46%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 38.9%-53.2%) than in the control group (32.1%; 95% CI 19.9%-46.3%) were able to achieve a reduction of ≥20% in intraocular pressure without using hypotensive medication. CONCLUSIONS: Few sight-threatening serious ocular adverse events occurred following Micro-Stent implantation, and clinical evidence of corneal decompensation was minimal.

Workplace injury management: using new technology to deliver and evaluate physician continuing medical education.

OBJECTIVE: Physicians typically receive little continuing medical education (CME) about their role in workplace injury management as well as on workplace injuries and disease. Although new technologies may help educate physicians in these areas, careful evaluation is required, given the understudied nature of these interventions. The objective of this study is to evaluate two promising new technologies to deliver CME (online learning and videoconferencing) and to compare the effectiveness of these delivery methods to traditional CME interventions (large urban traditional conference lectures and small group local face-to-face outreach) in their impact on physician knowledge related to workplace injury management. METHODS: This study utilized a prospective, controlled evaluation of two educational programs for BC physicians: 1) The Diagnosis and Management of Lateral Epicondylitis; and 2) Is Return-to-Work Good Medicine? Each educational module was delivered in each of four ways (Outreach Visit, Videoconference Session, Conference Lecture, Online) and physicians self-selected their participation--both in terms of topic and delivery method. Questionnaires related to knowledge as well as learner attitude and satisfaction were administered prior (pre-test) and following (post-test) all educational sessions. RESULTS: 581 physician encounters occurred as a result of the educational interventions and a significant percentage of the physicians participated in the research per se (i.e. there were 358 completed sets of pre-test and post-test 'Knowledge' questionnaires). Overall the results showed that the developed training programs increased physicians' knowledge of both Lateral Epicondylitis and the physician's role in Return-To-Work planning as reflected in improved post-test performance when compared to pre-test scores. Furthermore, videoconferencing and online training were at least as effective as conference lectures and instructor-led small group outreach sessions in their impact on physician knowledge. CONCLUSIONS: Use of effective videoconferencing and online learning activities will increase physician access to quality CME related to workplace injury management and will overcome access barriers intrinsic to types of CME interventions based on instructor-student face-to-face interactions.