Efficacy, safety, and treatment burden of treat-and-extend versus alternative anti-VEGF regimens for nAMD: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

This study aimed to compare efficacy and treatment burden of treat-and-extend (T&E) anti-VEGF against fixed and pro re nata (PRN) regimens for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). MEDLINE, CENTRAL, and EMBASE were searched. Randomized-controlled trials and observational studies comparing T&E to PRN or fixed dosing for treatment-naïve AMD patients were included. Mean difference (MD) for visual acuity (VA) and number of injections are presented. Risk of bias was assessed according to Cochrane guidelines. Methodology was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). VA improvement was similar with T&E and fixed dosing at one (MD -0.08 letters, p = 0.95) and two years (MD 0.58 letters, p = 0.62). In contrast, VA improvements were significantly greater for T&E when compared against a PRN regimen at one (MD 3.95 letters, p < 0.0001) and two years (MD 4.08 letters, p < 0.001). Significantly fewer ranibizumab injections were administered in the T&E arm at one (MD -2.42 injections, p < 0.0001) and two years (MD -6.06 injections, p < 0.00001) relative to fixed dosing. Fewer aflibercept injections were likewise administered to patients on a T&E regimen versus fixed dosing at one year (MD -0.78 injections, p < 0.0001). Low-certainty evidence from the present synthesis implies that T&E preserves VA similar to fixed schedules with significantly fewer injections at one and two years. Also, patients with T&E dosing achieved better VA outcomes than those on PRN regimen but T&E dosing was associated with more injections.

Treat-and-extend versus alternate dosing strategies with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents to treat center involving diabetic macular edema: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 2,346 eyes.

Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (Anti-VEGF) agents are the standard of care for diabetic macular edema (CI-DME) with vision loss. They are commonly administered using several treatment protocols, including fixed, pro re nata (PRN) and treat-and-extend (T&E) regimens. Because of the lack of evidence defining an ideal treatment paradigm, we systematically compared T&E with fixed or PRN regimens. Visual acuity improvement was similar when comparing T&E to fixed or PRN dosing at 12 and 24 months. Regarding anatomic outcomes, no significant difference was found between T&E and fixed regimens for central retinal thickness or central subfoveal thickness at 12 and 24 months. Similarly, no significant difference was found for central retinal thickness at 12 months for T&E versus PRN regimen. Regarding total number of injections, no significant difference existed between T&E versus fixed regimens at 12 months. PRN regimens delivered fewer injections compared to T&E regimens at 12 months. The results of this analysis support that visual acuity and anatomic outcomes at 12 and 24 months are similar between T&E with either fixed or PRN regimens. More head-to-head trials comparing T&E versus fixed and PRN dosing are needed to provide visual and functional outcome data beyond year 2. PROSPERO Registration: CRD42021249362.

Supplemental Scleral Buckle for the Management of Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment by Pars Plana Vitrectomy: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

OBJECTIVES: The present review aimed to synthesize evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared outcomes of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with and without a supplementary scleral buckle (SB) for management of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). METHODS: The authors searched MEDLINE, Embase, and CENTRAL to identify RCTs in English that compared PPV with and without supplemental SB. Risk of bias was assessed according to the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool. We present risk ratios (RRs), mean differences (MDs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) estimated using random-effects meta-analyses. RESULTS: We identified 6 RCTs involving 705 eyes. Primary reattachment (6 studies, 345 eyes PPV, 324 eyes PPV + SB; RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.93-1.06, I2 = 0%, p = 0.78) and final anatomic success rates (4 studies, 272 eyes PPV, 267 eyes PPV + SB; RR 1.00, 95% CI 0.98-1.02, I2 = 0%, p = 0.89) were similar between the 2 groups. Postoperative visual acuity improvement (5 studies, 244 eyes PPV, 222 eyes PPV + SB; MD 6.09 letters, 95% CI -0.47-12.64, I2 = 69%, p = 0.07) and frequency of adverse events (6 studies, 1,294 observations PPV, 1,221 observations PPV + SB; RR 0.76, 95% CI 0.57-1.01, I2 = 25%, p = 0.06) likewise did not differ significantly between the treatment groups. CONCLUSION: Low-certainty evidence from RCTs did not demonstrate a benefit in placement of a supplemental SB during vitrectomy for management of RRD in the current analysis. Additional high-quality trials are needed to provide more precise estimates of the effect.

Twitter Activity Is Associated With a Higher Research Citation Index for Academic Thoracic Surgeons.

BACKGROUND: Academic surgeons are encouraged to promote their work on social media. We hypothesized that thoracic surgeons who are active on Twitter have a higher research citation index (Hirsch index [h-index]) than their counterparts who are not. METHODS: Thoracic surgeons on CTSNet.org in Canada and the United States were queried for profiles with an h-index on Google Scholar and/or Research Gate in July 2018. Surgeons were categorized by whether they possessed a Twitter account (T+) or not (T-), and h-index values were compared. Within the T+ cohort a multivariate regression model was used to identify independent predictors of increased h-index among variables related to Twitter activity. RESULTS: Of 3741 surgeons queried, 19.3% (722) had a known h-index. The mean h-index for the entire cohort was 14.54 (SD, 15.73). The median h-index was 10 (range, 0-121), and the 75th percentile h-index was 20. T+ surgeons had a median h-index of 10 (range, 0-66), and T- surgeons had a median h-index of 10 (range, 0-72; P = .25). The 75th percentile h-index for T+ surgeons was 23 compared with 20 for T- surgeons (P = .24). For T+ surgeons the regression model identified the number of followers (P = .029), the number of people followed (P = .048), and the frequency of tweeting (P = .046) as independent predictors of a higher h-index. CONCLUSIONS: The median h-index for an academic thoracic surgeon in Canada and the United States is 10. Surgeons who engage in Twitter activity are more likely to have their research cited by others.