European Glaucoma Society research priorities for glaucoma care.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The goal of health research is to improve patients care and outcomes. Thus, it is essential that research addresses questions that are important to patients and clinicians. The aim of this study was to develop a list of priorities for glaucoma research involving stakeholders from different countries in Europe. METHODS: We used a three-phase method, including a two-round electronic Delphi survey and a workshop. The clinician and patient electronic surveys were conducted in parallel and independently. For phase I, the survey was distributed to patients from 27 European countries in 6 different languages, and to European Glaucoma Society members, ophthalmologists with expertise in glaucoma care, asking to name up to five research priorities. During phase II, participants were asked to rank the questions identified in phase I using a Likert scale. Phase III was a 1 day workshop with patients and clinicians. The purpose was to make decisions about the 10 most important research priorities using the top 20 priorities identified by patients and clinicians. RESULTS: In phase I, 308 patients and 150 clinicians were involved. In phase II, the highest-ranking priority for both patients and clinicians was 'treatments to restore vision'. In phase III, eight patients and four clinicians were involved. The top three priorities were 'treatments to stop sight loss', 'treatments to restore vision' and 'improved detection of worsening glaucoma'. CONCLUSION: We have developed a list of priorities for glaucoma research involving clinicians and patients from different European countries that will help guide research efforts and investment.

Point of care transthoracic echocardiography for the prediction of post - spinal anesthesia hypotension in elderly patients with cardiac diseases and left ventricular dysfunction : Inferior vena cava and post-spinal anesthesia hypotension in elderly patients.

In elderly patients with cardiac diseases, changes in cardiovascular physiology diminish cardiovascular reserve and predispose to hemodynamic instability after spinal anesthesia; hence, such patients could be at risk of postoperative complications. Additionally, transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is used in clinical practice to evaluate cardiovascular hemodynamics. Therefore, we hypothesized that echocardiographic measurements could display significant diagnostic power in the prediction of post - spinal anesthesia hypotension in elderly patients with cardiac diseases and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LV-EF). Therefore, sixty-one elderly orthopedic-trauma patients were recruited. Prior to spinal anesthesia a TTE examination was performed. The LV-EF, the stroke volume index (SVI), the peripheral vascular resistance (PVR), the LV filling pressures (E/Em ratio), the right ventricular function [tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), tricuspid annular systolic velocity (TASV) and fractional area change (FAC)], as well as inferior vena cava (IVC) measurements, such as IVCCI (collapsibility index of the IVC) and dIVCmax (maximum diameter of IVC)-to-IVCCI ratio were assessed. Twenty-six out of sixty-one patients manifested hypotension. Preoperative dIVCmax-to-IVCCI ratio demonstrated the greatest performance amongst echocardiographic indices in predicting post - spinal anesthesia hypotension. The dIVCmax-to-IVCCI ratio < 48 had significantly higher diagnostic power than IVCCI > 0.28, FAC > 42, E/Em ratio < 9 and SVI < 32 (receiver operator characteristic curve analysis). The gray zone for the dIVCmax-to-IVCCI ratio (40-49) showed the lowest number of inconclusive measurements among echocardiographic variables. The preoperative dIVCmax-to-IVCCI ratio could be a reliable echocardiographic index to predict post - spinal anesthesia hypotension in elderly patients with left ventricular dysfunction.

The effect of citicoline oral solution on quality of life in patients with glaucoma: the results of an international, multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled cross-over trial.

PURPOSE: This study aims to evaluate whether the use of citicoline oral solution could improve quality of life in patients with chronic open-angle glaucoma (OAG). DESIGN: Randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled, cross-over study was used. Patients were randomized to one of the two sequences: either citicoline 500 mg/day oral solution-placebo or placebo-citicoline 500 mg/day oral solution. Switch of treatments was done after 3 months; patients were then followed for other 6 months. Follow-up included 3-month, 6-month, and 9-month visits. OUTCOMES: The primary outcome was the mean change of "intra-patient" composite score of the Visual Function Questionnaire-25 (VFQ-25). after citicoline oral solution vs placebo at 6-month visit as compared with baseline. METHODS: The trial was multicenter, conducted at 5 European Eye Clinics. OAG patients with bilateral visual field damage, a mean deviation (MD) ranging from - 5 to - 13 dB in the better eye, and controlled IOP were included. VFQ-25 and SF-36 questionnaires were administered at baseline and at 3-, 6-, and 9-month visits. A mixed effect model, with a random effect on the intercept, accounted for correlations among serial measurements on each subject. RESULTS: The primary pre-specified outcome of the analysis reached statistical significance (p = 0.0413), showing greater improvement after citicoline oral solution. There was an increase in the composite score in both arms compared to baseline, but it was significant only for the placebo-citicoline arm (p = 0.0096, p = 0.0007, and p = 0.0006 for the three time-points compared to baseline). The effect of citicoline was stronger in patients with vision-related quality of life more affected by glaucoma at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first placebo-controlled clinical study evaluating the effect of a medical treatment aiming at improving vision-related quality of life in glaucomatous patients.

Association of lipid-lowering drugs and antidiabetic drugs with age-related macular degeneration: a meta-analysis in Europeans.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To investigate the association of commonly used systemic medications with prevalent age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in the general population. METHODS: We included 38 694 adults from 14 population-based and hospital-based studies from the European Eye Epidemiology consortium. We examined associations between the use of systemic medications and any prevalent AMD as well as any late AMD using multivariable logistic regression modelling per study and pooled results using random effects meta-analysis. RESULTS: Between studies, mean age ranged from 61.5±7.1 to 82.6±3.8 years and prevalence ranged from 12.1% to 64.5% and from 0.5% to 35.5% for any and late AMD, respectively. In the meta-analysis of fully adjusted multivariable models, lipid-lowering drugs (LLD) and antidiabetic drugs were associated with lower prevalent any AMD (OR 0.85, 95% CI=0.79 to 0.91 and OR 0.78, 95% CI=0.66 to 0.91). We found no association with late AMD or with any other medication. CONCLUSION: Our study indicates a potential beneficial effect of LLD and antidiabetic drug use on prevalence of AMD across multiple European cohorts. Our findings support the importance of metabolic processes in the multifactorial aetiology of AMD.

Descemet's Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty Using Donor Tissue from an 83-Day-Old Infant.

Purpose: To report a case of Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) combined with phacoemulsification in an adult recipient using endothelial graft from an 83-day-old infant donor. Methods: A corneoscleral button was obtained from an infant donor and a DSAEK graft was prepared using a microkeratome. In comparison to the standard technique of DSAEK graft preparation some modifications were made in order to avoid inadvertent perforation, as the donor cornea had a very spherical shape, probably due to the very young age of the donor. The DSAEK graft was transplanted to the left eye of a 68-year-old woman suffering from Fuchs' endothelial dystrophy. Her preoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in that eye was 20/100 and central corneal thickness 831 µm. Results: An uneventful DSAEK combined with phacoemulsification was performed. The main complication noted was detachment of the peripheral part and contraction of the corneal graft, observed two months after the procedure. The implanted tissue remained centrally attached with a BCVA of 20/40, 3 years postoperatively. Conclusion: This case report highlights the difficulties emerging from preparation and implantation using an endothelial graft tissue from the youngest ever reported donor.

Shamrock Lumbar Plexus Block for Hip Hemiarthroplasty in a High Risk Elderly Patient with Hip Fracture.

Hip fractures in the geriatric population are associated with high morbidity and mortality rate. Early surgical fixation is of major importance, as it is one of the factors that contribute to patient optimization. However, these patients usually present a high burden of comorbidities, including aortic stenosis that could affect their treatment. Despite major advances in anesthetic and surgical techniques, severe aortic stenosis remains an independent, important risk factor for patients undergoing anesthesia for noncardiac surgery. In these patients, general and/or neuraxial anesthesia should be avoided; peripheral nerve blockade is a viable option. This article presents a 96-year-old hip fracture patient with severe aortic stenosis and aspiration pneumonia that successfully underwent hip hemiarthroplasty under peripheral nerve blockade as sole anesthesia.

Tranexamic Acid in Shoulder Arthroplasty. A Comprehensive Review.

Objectives: Total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) represents a major orthopedic procedure with significant blood loss and transfusion rates up to 43%. Tranexamic acid (TXA), a synthetic amino acid derivative, functioning by inhibiting the conversion of plasminogen to plasmin, has been proven to reduce blood loss in total knee or hip arthroplasty. However, very few studies exist regarding shoulder arthroplasty. The aim of the present review is to evaluate its effectiveness in shoulder arthroplasty. Materials and methods: A meticulous electronic search was performed to find articles reporting the results of TXA administration in TSA or reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA). Patients' demographics, dose and timing of TXA administration, the type of control group, mean hemoglobin reduction, transfusion rate and total blood loss were evaluated. A total of eight studies including 981 patients were identified. Five hundred and thirty patients (group 1) received TXA, while the remaining 451 comprised the control group (group 2). Results:The mean postoperative reduction in hemoglobin in group 1 was found to be 2.14 g/dL (SD=0.62), compared to 2.71 g/dL (SD=0.57) of group 2; p-value <0.0001. Transfusion rate in group 1 was found to be 1.9%, compared to 4.9% in group 2; p-value=0.009. Total blood loss was found to be 714.6 mL (SD=410.4) in group 1, compared to 911.8 mL (SD=529.7) in group 2; p-value <0.0001. Conclusion:The present review has shown that TXA administration in shoulder arthroplasty has effectively reduced blood loss, postoperative hemoglobin decline and need for transfusion. More research is needed, since optimization of route, timing and dosage of TXA remain to be determined.

Peripheral nerve blocks in the cervical region: from anatomy to ultrasound-guided techniques.

Cervical plexus nerve blocks have been employed in various head and neck operations. Both adequate anaesthesia and analgesia are attained in clinical practice. Nowadays, ultrasound imaging in regional anaesthesia is driven towards a certain objective that dictates high accuracy and safety during the implementation of peripheral nerve blocks. In the cervical region, ultrasound-guided nerve blocks have routinely been conducted only for the past few years and thus only a small number of publications pervade the current literature. Moreover, the sonoanatomy of the neck, the foundation stone of interventional techniques, is very challenging; multiple muscles and fascial layers compose a complex of compartments in a narrow anatomic region, in which local anaesthetics are injected. Therefore, this review intends to deliver new insights into ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve block techniques in the neck. The sonoanatomy of the cervical region, in addition to the cervical plexus, cervical ganglia, superior and recurrent laryngeal nerve blocks are comprehensively discussed.

Pain is vital in resuscitation in trauma.

Implementation of the ATLS algorithm has remarkably improved the resuscitation of trauma patients and has significantly contributed to the systematic management of multi-trauma patients. However, pain remains the most prevalent complaint in trauma patients, and can induce severe complications, further deterioration of health, and death of the patient. Providing appropriate and timely pain management to these patients prompts early healing, reduces stress response, shortens hospital Length of Stay (LOS), diminishes chronic pain, and ultimately reduces morbidity and mortality. Pain has been proposed to be evaluated as the fifth vital sign and be recorded in the vital sign charts in order to emphasize the importance of pain on short- and long-term outcomes of the patients. However, although the quality of pain treatment seems to be improving we believe that pain has been underestimated in trauma. This article aims to provide evidence for the importance of pain in trauma, to support its management in the emergency setting and the acute phase of patients' resuscitation, and to emphasize on the necessity to introduce the letter P (pain) in the ATLS alphabet.

Reduction techniques for difficult subtrochanteric fractures.

Subtrochanteric fractures can result from high-energy trauma in young patients or from a fall or minor trauma in the elderly. Intramedullary nails are currently the most commonly used implants for the stabilization of these fractures. However, the anesthetic procedure for the patients, the surgical reduction and osteosynthesis for the fractures are challenging. The anesthetic management of orthopedic trauma patients should be based upon various parameters that must be evaluated before the implementation of any anesthetic technique. Surgery- and patient-related characteristics and possible comorbidities must be considered during the pre-anesthetic evaluation. Adequate fracture reduction and proper nail entry point are critical. Understanding of the deforming forces acting on various fracture patterns and knowledge of surgical reduction techniques are essential in obtaining successful outcomes. This article discusses the intraoperative reduction techniques for subtrochanteric fractures in adults and summarizes tips and tricks that the readers may find useful and educative.

Preservative-free tafluprost/timolol fixed combination: comparative 24-h efficacy administered morning or evening in open-angle glaucoma patients.

Background: Ideal dosing for the preservative-free (PF) tafluprost/timolol fixed combination (TTFC) remains to be elucidated. Research design and methods: This study was a prospective, observer-masked, placebo-controlled, crossover, comparison in 42 consecutive open-angle glaucoma patients whose intraocular pressure (IOP) was insufficiently controlled with preserved latanoprost monotherapy (mean 24-h IOP >20 mmHg). Patients were randomized to either morning (08:00) or evening (20:00) PF TTFC for 3 months and then crossed over. After each treatment period, patients underwent habitual 24-h IOP monitoring with Goldmann tonometry in the sitting position (at 10:00, 14:00, 18:00, and 22:00) and Perkins tonometry in the supine position (at 02:00 and 06:00). Results: Mean 24-h IOP on latanoprost was 22.2±3.9 mmHg. Both PF TTFC dosing regimens obtained greater reduction in mean 24-h, daytime, nighttime, and peak 24-h IOP (P < 0.001). Evening dosing provided tighter 24-h IOP fluctuation versus latanoprost (P < 0.001). Evening dosing was superior to morning dosing at four time points (P < 0.01), for the mean daytime IOP (P < 0.001) and mean 24-h IOP fluctuation (P < 0.001). Hyperemia was more common with preserved latanoprost (21.4 vs. 7.1%; P = 0.031). Patients (n = 19; 45%) preferred evening dosing. Conclusions: PF TTFC provided greater 24-h IOP control and less hyperemia compared with preserved latanoprost. Evening administration of this novel medication offered superior 24-h efficacy. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03612817).