Incidence of endophthalmitis after intravitreal injection of an anti-VEGF agent with or without topical antibiotics

Intravitreal injection (IVI) of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is the standard treatment modality in various types of retinal diseases. However, endophthalmitis remains the most serious complication. Despite the lack of evidence that antibiotics prevent endophthalmitis, topical antibiotics are still used routinely in Japan. We conducted a retrospective multicenter study by analyzing records from patients who underwent IVI of anti-VEGF agents with or without antibiotic treatment. In the analysis of a total of 147,440 eyes, the incidence of endophthalmitis was 0.007%: 0.005% with no use of antibiotics, 0.009% with antibiotic pretreatment, 0.012% with posttreatment, and 0.005% with pre- and posttreatment. There was no statistically significant difference among the four groups (chi-square test, p = 0.57). Most facilities used masks, sterilized gloves, and drapes. Nine of the 10 eyes that developed endophthalmitis received topical antibiotics, and all infected eyes underwent IVI with aflibercept, not the prefilled syringe delivery system. In four patients who received multiple IVI, the detection of causative bacteria revealed resistance to used antibiotics. Data from this large population, treated with or without antibiotics, suggests that antibiotic prophylaxis does not reduce the rate of endophthalmitis after IVI

Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes in 314 Japanese Patients with Bacterial Endophthalmitis : A Multicenter Cohort Study from J-CREST

Bacterial endophthalmitis is an intraocular infection that causes rapid vison loss. Pathogens can infect the intraocular space directly (exogenous endophthalmitis (ExE)) or indirectly (endogenous endophthalmitis (EnE)). To identify predictive factors for the visual prognosis of Japanese patients with bacterial endophthalmitis, we retrospectively examined the bacterial endophthalmitis characteristics of 314 Japanese patients and performed statistics using these clinical data. Older patients, with significantly more severe clinical symptoms, were prevalent in the ExE group compared with the EnE group. However, the final best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was not significantly different between the ExE and EnE groups. Bacteria isolated from patients were not associated with age, sex, or presence of eye symptoms. Genus Streptococcus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Enterococcus were more prevalent in ExE patients than EnE patients and contributed to poor final BCVA. The presence of eye pain, bacterial identification, and poor BCVA at baseline were risk factors for final visual impairment

Correlation between the Outcome of Vitrectomy for Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy and Erythrocyte Hematocrit Level and Platelet Function

We investigate-d whether biomarkers such as red blood cell hematocrit (Hct), platelet count (PLT), mean platelet volume (MPV), and platelet distribution width (PDW) are useful prognostic indicators of postoperative macular edema (ME) after vitrectomy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). A total of 42 eyes of 42 patients with PDR who underwent vitrectomy between January 2018 and May 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. We divided them into two groups according to whether treatment was required for postoperative ME and compared the relationship between Hct, PLT, MPV, and PDW and the onset of postoperative ME. The group that received postoperative treatment (group T) comprised 11 eyes of 11 patients, and the group that did not (group N) comprised 31 eyes of 31 patients. The age (years) was 52.0 ± 3.1 in group T and 60.0 ± 11.6 in group N. When appropriate statistical analysis was performed for comparison between groups, significant differences were found in age (p = 0.05), insulin use (p = 0.03), preoperative intraocular pressure (p = 0.05), diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.03), and Hct (p = 0.04). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed, and a significant difference was found in Hct (p = 0.02). These results suggest that Hct might be useful as a predictor of ME after PDR surgery

Axonal Protection by Oral Nicotinamide Riboside Treatment with Upregulated AMPK Phosphorylation in a Rat Glaucomatous Degeneration Model

Nicotinamide riboside (NR), a precursor of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), has been studied to support human health against metabolic stress, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative disease. In the present study, we investigated the effects of oral NR on axonal damage in a rat ocular hypertension model. Intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation was induced by laser irradiation and then the rats received oral NR of 1000 mg/kg/day daily. IOP elevation was seen 7, 14, and 21 days after laser irradiation compared with the controls. We confirmed that oral NR administration significantly increased NAD+ levels in the retina. After 3-week oral administration of NR, morphometric analysis of optic nerve cross-sections showed that the number of axons was protected compared with that in the untreated ocular hypertension group. Oral NR administration significantly prevented retinal ganglion cell (RGC) fiber loss in retinal flat mounts, as shown by neurofilament immunostaining. Immunoblotting samples from the optic nerves showed that oral NR administration augmented the phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (p-AMPK) level in rats with and without ocular hypertension induction. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that some p-AMPK-immunopositive fibers were colocalized with neurofilament immunoreactivity in the control group, and oral NR administration enhanced p-AMPK immunopositivity. Our findings suggest that oral NR administration protects against glaucomatous RGC axonal degeneration with the possible upregulation of p-AMPK

Optical coherence tomography findings as a predictor of clinical course in patients with branch retinal vein occlusion treated with ranibizumab

<div><p>Purpose</p><p>To examine the relationship between optical coherence tomography (OCT) images and clinical course in eyes with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) treated with intravitreal ranibizumab injection (IVR).</p><p>Design</p><p>Prospective cohort study.</p><p>Participants</p><p>Thirty eyes of 30 patients with BRVO treated with IVR.</p><p>Methods</p><p>All patients received 1 initial IVR followed by repeated injections in the pro re nata (PRN) regimen. Correlations between logarithm of minimum angle of resolution best-corrected visual acuity (logMAR BCVA) or number of IVRs after 12 months and OCT parameters including the external limiting membrane (ELM), ellipsoid zone (EZ), interdigitation zone (IZ), and photoreceptor outer segment (PROS) length at first resolution of macular edema (ME) were assessed. Resolution of ME was defined as central foveal thickness <300 μm and the absence of subretinal fluid. OCT parameters influencing BCVA and number of IVRs were evaluated using multivariate analysis. Correlations between nonperfusion areas (NPAs) and thinning areas and changes in retinal thickness of BRVO-affected areas were assessed.</p><p>Results</p><p>Of the 30 patients, 27 completed this study and were included in the statistical analyses. The mean logMAR BCVA at 3, 6, and 12 months was 0.16 ± 0.19, 0.09 ± 0.20, and 0.07 ± 0.20, respectively, which improved significantly from baseline at each visit (p < 0.0001, respectively), while the mean number of IVRs at 12 months was 3.9 ± 2.2. The mean number of IVRs for the first resolution of ME was 1.6 ± 0.8. Eyes with ELM and EZ defects at the points of first resolution of ME were correlated with a significantly lower BCVA at 12 months compared with eyes with preserved ELMs and EZs (p = 0.035, p = 0.002, respectively). However, eyes with IZ defects at the points of first resolution of ME were not correlated with a significantly lower BCVA at 12 months compared with eyes with preserved IZs (p = 0.160). Defects in the EZ at the points of first resolution of ME significantly affected the number of IVRs at 12 months (p = 0.042), although the ELM and IZ did not. PROS length at the points of first resolution of ME was significantly correlated with BCVA and number of IVRs at 12 months (p = 0.006, p = 0.0008, respectively). In multivariate analysis, PROS length at the points of first resolution of ME had the most significant effect on BCVA and number of IVRs (p = 0.013, p = 0.012, respectively). NPA size on fluorescein angiography and thinning area on OCT within the macular area showed a significant correlation (p = 0.003, r = 0.971). The retinal thickness of ischemic BRVO-affected areas was significantly less than that of control areas at 10, 11, and 12 months (p = 0.001, p = 0.005, p = 0.003, respectively).</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>We showed that the 1+PRN regimen may be a useful therapy for ME due to BRVO. In addition, PROS length at points of first resolution of ME appears to be a good indicator of BCVA and number of IVRs in BRVO patients.</p></div

Relationship between optical coherence tomography (OCT) parameters and visual outcome or number of intravitreal ranibizumab injections (IVRs).

<p>(A) Correlation between logMAR BCVA at 12 months and the status of the ELM, EZ, and IZ. (B) Correlation between logMAR BCVA at 12 months and PROS length. (C) Correlation between the number of IVRs and the status of the ELM, EZ, and IZ. (D) Correlation between the number of IVRs and PROS length. OCT = optical coherence tomography; logMAR = logarithm of minimum angle of resolution; BCVA = best-corrected visual acuity; IVR = intravitreal ranibizumab injection; ELM = external limiting membrane; EZ = ellipsoid zone; IZ = interdigitation zone; PROS = photoreceptor outer segment.</p

Baseline patient characteristics.

<p>Baseline patient characteristics.</p

Fluorescein angiography (FA) of ischemic branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).

<p>(A) FA image of ischemic BRVO. The nonperfusion area is outlined in white. The area indicated by the red square was identical to the OCT image obtained by macular cube scan (200 × 200) (right, indicated by the yellow square). (B) OCT image showing a layer map of retinal thickness. The thinning area is indicated in blue. OCT = optical coherence tomography.</p

Fluorescein angiography (FA) images and color maps of retinal thickness using optical coherence tomography (OCT) images.

<p>(A, C) FA images of eyes with nonperfusion areas (NPAs) (shown in orange). (B, D) Color maps of eyes with NPAs which corresponded to the thinning areas (in blue) detected by OCT. (E) FA of eyes without NPAs. (F) The thinning areas were not detected in OCT.</p

Changes in the retinal thickness of ischemic and nonischemic branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).

<p>(A) Changes in the retinal thickness of ischemic BRVO-affected areas and control areas at points of resolution of macular edema (ME) from 1 month to 12 months. Retinal thicknesses at point of recurrence of ME were excluded. Retinal thicknesses of ischemic areas after 10 months were significantly less than those of control areas (p < 0.01). (B) Changes in the retinal thickness of nonischemic BRVO-affected areas and control areas at points of resolution of ME from 1 month to 12 months. The retinal thickness of nonischemic areas tended to be greater than that of control areas. IVR = intravireal ranibizumab.</p