One week of levofloxacin plus dexamethasone eye drops for cataract surgery: an innovative and rational therapeutic strategy

Background: Cataract surgery is the most common operation performed worldwide. A fixed topical corticosteroid-antibiotic combination is usually prescribed in clinical practice for 2 or more weeks to treat post surgical inflammation and prevent infection. However, this protracted schedule may increase the incidence of corticosteroid-related adverse events and notably promote antibiotic resistance. Methods: This International, multicentre, randomized, blinded-assessor, parallel-group clinical study evaluated the non-inferiority of 1-week levofloxacin/dexamethasone eye drops, followed by 1-week dexamethasone alone, vs. 2-week gold-standard tobramycin/dexamethasone (one drop QID for all schedules) to prevent and treat ocular inflammation and prevent infection after uncomplicated cataract surgery. Non-inferiority was defined as the lower limit of the 95% confidence interval (CI) around a treatment difference >\u201310%. The study randomized 808 patients enrolled in 53 centres (Italy, Germany, Spain and Russia). The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients without anterior chamber inflammation on day 15 defined as the end of treatment. Endophthalmitis was the key secondary endpoint. This study is registered with EudraCT code: 2018-000286-36. Results: After the end of treatment, 95.2% of the patients in the test arm vs. 94.9% of the control arm had no signs of inflammation in the anterior chamber (difference between proportions of patients = 0.028; 95% CI: 120.0275/0.0331). No case of endophthalmitis was reported. No statistically significant difference was evident in any of the other secondary endpoints. Both treatments were well tolerated. Conclusions: Non-inferiority of the new short pharmacological strategy was proven. One week of levofloxacin/dexamethasone prevents infection, ensures complete control of inflammation in almost all patients and may contain antibiotic resistance

CAPSULAR BLOCK SYNDROME AS A COMPLICATION OF PHACOEMULSIFICATION AND POSTERIOR CHAMBER INTRAOCULAR LENS IMPLANTATION

Capsular block syndrome as a complication after phacoemulsification and posterior chamber intraocular lens (IOL) implantation when the capsular bag is distended by an accumulation of particular substance between the optical surface of the IOL and the posterior capsule has been not widely highlighted in the national scientific literature. The article presents a review of publications of foreign authors describing this phenomenon, its etiology, classification and methods of treatment

Regional renal venous hypertension and left-sided varicocele

One of the most frequent correctable causes of male infertility is a varicocele. The etiology and pathogenesis of varicocele to date is a matter of debate. The aim of our study was to determine the causes and incidence of regional renal hypertension in patients with leftsided varicocele. The study involved 110 patients with left-sided varicocele in age from 18 to 35 years. Algorithm for evaluation of patients with left-sided varicocele included: physical examination, ultrasound with Doppler kidney, basin area left renal vein, aorto-mesenteric portion; the scrotum with a sample Trombetta, phlebography аnd phlebotonometry basin left renal vein and the common iliac vein. Renospermatic reflux was detected in 89 (81 %), ileospermatic 12 (11 %) and mixed 9 (8 %) patients. Patients with reflux ileospermatic excluded from the study. The 96 patients with left-sided varicocele underwent venography and phlebotonometry in 37 (38.5 %) were renal venous hypertension, with 35 of them that it was due to aorto-mesenteric compression, and in 2 cases an anomaly development – annular renal vein. Our data are comparable with the results of other authors. Patients with mesenteric compressed statistically significant reduction in the diameter of renal veins in the aorto-mesenteric portion and increased blood flow in this region, and expand prestenosis left renal vein and reduce flow velocity in this region compared with the group without renal phlebohypertension. Patients with renal phlebohypertension subsequently held shunt types of operations performed in patients with normotension occlusive types of operations. An integrated assessment of patients with left-side allows to make a holistic understanding of the basic mechanisms of disease etiology and select the appropriate type of surgery

Regional renal venous hypertension and left-sided varicocele

One of the most frequent correctable causes of male infertility is a varicocele. The etiology and pathogenesis of varicocele to date is a matter of debate. The aim of our study was to determine the causes and incidence of regional renal hypertension in patients with leftsided varicocele. The study involved 110 patients with left-sided varicocele in age from 18 to 35 years. Algorithm for evaluation of patients with left-sided varicocele included: physical examination, ultrasound with Doppler kidney, basin area left renal vein, aorto-mesenteric portion; the scrotum with a sample Trombetta, phlebography аnd phlebotonometry basin left renal vein and the common iliac vein. Renospermatic reflux was detected in 89 (81 %), ileospermatic 12 (11 %) and mixed 9 (8 %) patients. Patients with reflux ileospermatic excluded from the study. The 96 patients with left-sided varicocele underwent venography and phlebotonometry in 37 (38.5 %) were renal venous hypertension, with 35 of them that it was due to aorto-mesenteric compression, and in 2 cases an anomaly development – annular renal vein. Our data are comparable with the results of other authors. Patients with mesenteric compressed statistically significant reduction in the diameter of renal veins in the aorto-mesenteric portion and increased blood flow in this region, and expand prestenosis left renal vein and reduce flow velocity in this region compared with the group without renal phlebohypertension. Patients with renal phlebohypertension subsequently held shunt types of operations performed in patients with normotension occlusive types of operations. An integrated assessment of patients with left-side allows to make a holistic understanding of the basic mechanisms of disease etiology and select the appropriate type of surgery.</em

PATHOGENETIC MECHANISMS OF EPITHELIALIZATION AND FORMATION OF PERSISTENT ULCERS OF THE GRAFT IN PATIENTS WITH DESTRUCTIVE CORNEAL PROCESSES AFTER PENETRATING KERATOPLASTY

Keratoplasty in patients with recurrent destructive processes in the cornea nowadays remains one of the most serious problems in ophthalmic surgery.Purpose. The analysis of results of penetrating keratoplasty (PK) in patients with destructive processes of the cornea or the corneal graft depending on the initial level of GDNF and the activity of the MAP kinase cascade of the signaling pathways.Material  and  methods.  The  analysis  of  the  results  of  PK  was performed in 23 patients (34 eyes) with acute destructive processes of cornea or the corneal graft in different etiologies. The follow-up period was from 6 months to 2 years. The analysis of the results of treatment was carried out depending on the condition of the corneal graft at various times after PK.The  immunohistochemical  examination  of  the  biological  material (corneal disks of the recipient) was performed using antibodies to GDNF, phospho-ERK1 / 2, phospho-JNK1 / 2, Ki67, GAP43, Bcl2 and Bax.Results.  The  time  of  epithelialization  of  the  graft  after  PK  in destructive processes of the cornea was increased in 79% of cases. When the epithelialization of the corneal graft was completed more than 6 and 10 days after PK in the postoperative period persistent erosions of the graft (PEG) with ulceration were formed in 22% and 89% of cases, respectively.The intensity of immunohistochemical reactions with antibodies to GDNF, phospho-ERK1 / 2, phospho-JNK1 / 2 in corneal disks at the epithelialization time of up to 5, 10 days and more eythan 10 days after PK was reduced from moderately positive to weakly positive and negative, respectively.When the time of epithelialization was completed in 6-10 days and there was not PECG, the intensity of reactions with antibodies to GDNF remains moderately positive, phospho-ERK1 / 2, phospho-JNK1 / 2 was lightly positive; when there was PEG the intensity of all reactions was weakly positive.Conclusion. The severity of the destructive pathological process in the cornea and postoperative complications after PK in patients with destructive corneal processes depend on the degree of GDNF deficiency, the decrease in the activity of the MAP kinase cascade of signaling pathways; the density of nerve plexuses in the own corneal tissue or corneal graft, and the activity of apoptosis processes

ADDITION TO CAPSULAR BLOCK SYNDROME CLASSIFICATION

Purpose. The goal is to expand the currently known classifications of the capsular block syndrome (CBS) based on the analysis of publications and own experience, taking into account the data of modern research methods.Material and methods. All cases of the capsular block syndrome described in the available scientific literature were analyzed, as well as observations from our own practice with the use of optical coherence tomography of the IOL-capsular bag complex (Optovue).Results. An extended classification of the CBS is based on the classification according the time of onset (intraoperative, early and late postoperative) proposed by Miyake K. et al. (1998). The enlarged classification reflects the possible causes of intraoperative CBS, a variety of clinical and morphological manifestations of CBS in the postoperative period.Conclusion. The proposed classification integrates our own experience and analysis of clinical cases from the literature and can be used for a uniform description of all detected cases of CBS

One week of levofloxacin plus dexamethasone eye drops for cataract surgery: an innovative and rational therapeutic strategy

Background: Cataract surgery is the most common operation performed worldwide. A fixed topical corticosteroid-antibiotic combination is usually prescribed in clinical practice for 2 or more weeks to treat post surgical inflammation and prevent infection. However, this protracted schedule may increase the incidence of corticosteroid-related adverse events and notably promote antibiotic resistance. Methods: This International, multicentre, randomized, blinded-assessor, parallel-group clinical study evaluated the non-inferiority of 1-week levofloxacin/dexamethasone eye drops, followed by 1-week dexamethasone alone, vs. 2-week gold-standard tobramycin/dexamethasone (one drop QID for all schedules) to prevent and treat ocular inflammation and prevent infection after uncomplicated cataract surgery. Non-inferiority was defined as the lower limit of the 95% confidence interval (CI) around a treatment difference >–10%. The study randomized 808 patients enrolled in 53 centres (Italy, Germany, Spain and Russia). The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients without anterior chamber inflammation on day 15 defined as the end of treatment. Endophthalmitis was the key secondary endpoint. This study is registered with EudraCT code: 2018-000286-36. Results: After the end of treatment, 95.2% of the patients in the test arm vs. 94.9% of the control arm had no signs of inflammation in the anterior chamber (difference between proportions of patients = 0.028; 95% CI: −0.0275/0.0331). No case of endophthalmitis was reported. No statistically significant difference was evident in any of the other secondary endpoints. Both treatments were well tolerated. Conclusions: Non-inferiority of the new short pharmacological strategy was proven. One week of levofloxacin/dexamethasone prevents infection, ensures complete control of inflammation in almost all patients and may contain antibiotic resistance

Correction: One week of levofloxacin plus dexamethasone eye drops for cataract surgery: an innovative and rational therapeutic strategy (Eye, (2020), 10.1038/s41433-020-0869-1)

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper