ADVANCES IN PHOTORECEPTOR AND RETINAL PIGMENT EPITHELIUM QUANTIFICATIONS IN INTERMEDIATE AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION: High-Res Versus Standard SPECTRALIS Optical Coherence Tomography.

PURPOSE: In this study, differences in retinal feature visualization of high-resolution optical coherence tomography (OCT) devices were investigated with different axial resolutions in quantifications of retinal pigment epithelium and photoreceptors (PRs) in intermediate age-related macular degeneration. METHODS: Patients were imaged with standard SPECTRALIS HRA + OCT and the investigational High-Res OCT device (both by Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany). Drusen, retinal pigment epithelium, and PR layers were segmented using validated artificial intelligence-based algorithms followed by manual corrections. Thickness and drusen maps were computed for all patients. Loss and thickness measurements were compared between devices, drusen versus nondrusen areas, and early treatment diabetic retinopathy study subfields using mixed-effects models. RESULTS: Thirty-three eyes from 28 patients with intermediate age-related macular degeneration were included. Normalized PR integrity loss was significantly higher with 4.6% for standard OCT compared with 2.5% for High-Res OCT. The central and parafoveal PR integrity loss was larger than the perifoveal loss (P < 0.05). Photoreceptor thickness was increased on High-Res OCT and in nondrusen regions (P < 0.001). Retinal pigment epithelium appeared thicker on standard OCT and above drusen (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Our study shows that High-Res OCT is able to identify the condition of investigated layers in intermediate age-related macular degeneration with higher precision. This improved in vivo imaging technology might promote our understanding of the pathophysiology and progression of age-related macular degeneration.

AI-based support for optical coherence tomography in age-related macular degeneration.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative technology across various fields, and its applications in the medical domain, particularly in ophthalmology, has gained significant attention. The vast amount of high-resolution image data, such as optical coherence tomography (OCT) images, has been a driving force behind AI growth in this field. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes for blindness in the world, affecting approximately 196 million people worldwide in 2020. Multimodal imaging has been for a long time the gold standard for diagnosing patients with AMD, however, currently treatment and follow-up in routine disease management are mainly driven by OCT imaging. AI-based algorithms have by their precision, reproducibility and speed, the potential to reliably quantify biomarkers, predict disease progression and assist treatment decisions in clinical routine as well as academic studies. This review paper aims to provide a summary of the current state of AI in AMD, focusing on its applications, challenges, and prospects.

A Systematic Prospective Comparison of Fluid Volume Evaluation across OCT Devices Used in Clinical Practice.

Objective: Treatment decisions in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) are mainly based on subjective evaluation of OCT. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to provide a comparison of qualitative and quantitative differences between OCT devices in a systematic manner. Design: Prospective, cross-sectional study. Subjects: One hundred sixty OCT volumes, 40 eyes of 40 patients with nAMD. Methods: Patients from clinical practice were imaged with 4 different OCT devices during one visit: (1) Spectralis Heidelberg; (2) Cirrus; (3) Topcon Maestro2; and (4) Topcon Triton. Intraretinal fluid (IRF), subretinal fluid (SRF), and pigment epithelial detachment (PED) were manually annotated in all cubes by trained human experts to establish fluid measurements based on expert-reader annotations. Intraretinal fluid, SRF, and PED volume were quantified in nanoliters (nL). Bland-Altman plots were created to analyze the agreement of measurements in the central 1 and 6 mm. The Friedman test was performed to test for significant differences in the central 1, 3, and 6 mm. Main Outcome Measures: Intraretinal fluid, SRF, and PED volume. Results: In the central 6 mm, there was a trend toward higher IRF and PED volumes in Spectralis images compared with the other devices and no differences in SRF volume. In the central 1 mm, the standard deviation of the differences ranged from ± 3 nL to ± 6 nL for IRF, from ± 3 nL to ± 4 nL for SRF, and from ± 7 nL to ± 10 nL for PED in all pairwise comparisons. Manually annotated IRF and SRF volumes showed no significant differences in the central 1 mm. Conclusions: Fluid volume quantification achieved excellent reliability in all 3 retinal compartments on images obtained from 4 OCT devices, particularly for clinically relevant IRF and SRF values. Although fluid volume quantification is reliable in all 4 OCT devices, switching OCT devices might lead to deviating fluid volume measurements with higher agreement in the central 1 mm compared with the central 6 mm, with highest agreement for SRF volume in the central 1 mm. Understanding device-dependent differences is essential for expanding the interpretation and implementation of pixel-wise fluid volume measurements in clinical practice and in clinical trials. Financial Disclosures: Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

Vancomycin-associated hemorrhagic occlusive retinal vasculitis masquerading as central retinal vein occlusion / Vasculite hemorrágica oclusiva da retina associada à vancomicina (HORV) mascarada como oclusão da veia central da retina

ABSTRACT A 69-year-old female was referred with sudden unilateral painless decreased vision that began 2 days after uncomplicated cataract surgery in the left eye. Visual acuity was hand motion and biomicroscopy showed a mild anterior chamber reaction, no hypopyon, and an intraocular lens that had been placed within the capsular bag. A dilated fundus examination revealed optic disk edema, widespread deep and superficial intraretinal hemorrhages, retinal ischemia, and macular edema. A cardiological evaluation was normal and thrombophilia tests were negative. After surgery, prophylactic vancomycin (1mg/0.1ml) had been injected intracamerally. The patient was diagnosed with hemorrhagic occlusive retinal vasculitis likely secondary to vancomycin hypersensitivity. Recognition of this entity is important to ensure early treatment and the use of intracameral vancomycin in the fellow eye should be avoided after cataract surgery.

RESUMO Esse caso se refere a uma paciente de 69 anos, sexo feminino, com relato de baixa acuidade visual súbita e indolor no olho esquerdo, de início 2 dias após cirurgia de catarata sem complicações. A acuidade visual era de movimento de mãos e a biomicroscopia mostrou reação de câmara anterior moderada, sem hipópio, e lente intraocular posicionada dentro do saco capsular. A fundoscopia evidenciou edema de disco óptico, hemorragias difusas intrarretinianas superficiais e profundas, isquemia retiniana e edema macular. A avaliação cardiológica foi normal e os testes para trombofilia foram negativos. Ao final da cirurgia foi injetado antibioticoprofilaxia com vancomicina (1mg/0,1ml) na câmara anterior. A paciente foi diagnosticada com vasculite hemorrágica oclusiva da retina secundária à hipersensibilidade a vancomicina. O reconhecimento dessa entidade é importante para o tratamento precoce e para evitar o uso de vancomicina intracameral em caso de cirurgia de catarata no olho contralateral.

Long-term effect of fluid volumes during the maintenance phase in neovascular age-related macular degeneration: results from Fight Retinal Blindness!

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of macular fluid volumes (subretinal fluid [SRF], intraretinal fluid [IRF], and pigment epithelium detachment [PED]) after initial treatment on functional and structural outcomes in neovascular age-related macular degeneration in a real-world cohort from Fight Retinal Blindness! METHODS: Treatment-naive neovascular age-related macular degeneration patients from Fight Retinal Blindness! (Zürich, Switzerland) were included. Macular fluid on optical coherence tomography was automatically quantified using an approved artificial intelligence algorithm. Follow-up of macular fluid, number of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatments, effect of fluid volumes after initial treatment (high, top 25%; low, bottom 75%) on best-corrected visual acuity, and development of macular atrophy and fibrosis was investigated over 48 months. RESULTS: A total of 209 eyes (mean age, 78.3 years) were included. Patients with high IRF volumes after initial treatment differed by -2.6 (p = 0.021) and -7.4 letters (p = 0.007) at months 12 and 48, respectively. Eyes with high IRF received significantly more treatments (+1.6 [p < 0.001] and +5.3 [p = 0.002] at months 12 and 48, respectively). Patients with high SRF or PED had comparable best-corrected visual acuity outcomes but received significantly more treatments for SRF (+2.4 [p < 0.001] and +11.4 [p < 0.001] at months 12 and 48, respectively) and PED (+1.2 [p = 0.001] and +7.8 [p < 0.001] at months 12 and 48, respectively). DISCUSSION: Patients with high macular fluid after initial treatment are at risk of losing vision that may not be compensable with higher treatment frequency for IRF. Higher treatment frequency for SRF and PED may result in comparable treatment outcomes. Quantification of macular fluid in all compartments is essential to detect eyes at risk of aggressive disease.

Approved AI-based fluid monitoring to identify morphological and functional treatment outcomes in neovascular age-related macular degeneration in real-world routine (FRB!).

AIM: To predict antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment requirements, visual acuity and morphological outcomes in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) using fluid quantification by artificial intelligence (AI) in a real-world cohort. METHODS: Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography data of 158 treatment-naïve patients with nAMD from the Fight Retinal Blindness! registry in Zurich were processed at baseline, and after initial treatment using intravitreal anti-VEGF to predict subsequent 1-year and 4-year outcomes. Intraretinal and subretinal fluid and pigment epithelial detachment volumes were segmented using a deep learning algorithm (Vienna Fluid Monitor, RetInSight, Vienna, Austria). A predictive machine learning model for future treatment requirements and morphological outcomes was built using the computed set of quantitative features. RESULTS: Two hundred and two eyes from 158 patients were evaluated. 107 eyes had a lower median (≤7) and 95 eyes had an upper median (≥8) number of injections in the first year, with a mean accuracy of prediction of 0.77 (95% CI 0.71 to 0.83) area under the curve (AUC). Best-corrected visual acuity at baseline was the most relevant predictive factor determining final visual outcomes after 1 year. Over 4 years, half of the eyes had progressed to macular atrophy (MA) with the model being able to distinguish MA from non-MA eyes with a mean AUC of 0.70 (95% CI 0.61 to 0.79). Prediction for subretinal fibrosis reached an AUC of 0.74 (95% CI 0.63 to 0.81). CONCLUSIONS: The regulatory approved AI-based fluid monitoring allows clinicians to use automated algorithms in prospectively guided patient treatment in AMD. Furthermore, retinal fluid localisation and quantification can predict long-term morphological outcomes.

Vancomycin-associated hemorrhagic occlusive retinal vasculitis masquerading as central retinal vein occlusion.

A 69-year-old female was referred with sudden unilateral painless decreased vision that began 2 days after uncomplicated cataract surgery in the left eye. Visual acuity was hand motion and biomicroscopy showed a mild anterior chamber reaction, no hypopyon, and an intraocular lens that had been placed within the capsular bag. A dilated fundus examination revealed optic disk edema, widespread deep and superficial intraretinal hemorrhages, retinal ischemia, and macular edema. A cardiological evaluation was normal and thrombophilia tests were negative. After surgery, prophylactic vancomycin (1mg/0.1ml) had been injected intracamerally. The patient was diagnosed with hemorrhagic occlusive retinal vasculitis likely secondary to vancomycin hypersensitivity. Recognition of this entity is important to ensure early treatment and the use of intracameral vancomycin in the fellow eye should be avoided after cataract surgery.

Predicting treat-and-extend outcomes and treatment intervals in neovascular age-related macular degeneration from retinal optical coherence tomography using artificial intelligence.

Purpose: To predict visual outcomes and treatment needs in a treat & extend (T&E) regimen in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) using a machine learning model based on quantitative optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging biomarkers. Materials and methods: Study eyes of 270 treatment-naïve subjects, randomized to receiving ranibizumab therapy in the T&E arm of a randomized clinical trial were considered. OCT volume scans were processed at baseline and at the first follow-up visit 4 weeks later. Automated image segmentation was performed, where intraretinal (IRF), subretinal (SRF) fluid, pigment epithelial detachment (PED), hyperreflective foci, and the photoreceptor layer were delineated using a convolutional neural network (CNN). A set of respective quantitative imaging biomarkers were computed across an Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) grid to describe the retinal pathomorphology spatially and its change after the first injection. Lastly, using the computed set of OCT features and available clinical and demographic information, predictive models of outcomes and retreatment intervals were built using machine learning and their performance evaluated with a 10-fold cross-validation. Results: Data of 228 evaluable patients were included, as some had missing scans or were lost to follow-up. Of those patients, 55% reached and maintained long (8, 10, 12 weeks) and another 45% stayed at short (4, 6 weeks) treatment intervals. This provides further evidence for a high disease activity in a major proportion of patients. The model predicted the extendable treatment interval group with an AUROC of 0.71, and the visual outcome with an AUROC of up to 0.87 when utilizing both, clinical and imaging features. The volume of SRF and the volume of IRF, remaining at the first follow-up visit, were found to be the most important predictive markers for treatment intervals and visual outcomes, respectively, supporting the important role of quantitative fluid parameters on OCT. Conclusion: The proposed Artificial intelligence (AI) methodology was able to predict visual outcomes and retreatment intervals of a T&E regimen from a single injection. The result of this study is an urgently needed step toward AI-supported management of patients with active and progressive nAMD.

SURGICAL OUTCOMES OF VASOPROLIFERATIVE RETINAL TUMORS' REFRACTORY TO NONINVASIVE THERAPIES.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcomes of surgical treatment of refractory vasoproliferative retinal tumors (VPTs) and its complications. METHODS: Clinical charts of all patients diagnosed with VPTs who underwent surgical treatment from 2005 to 2020 were reviewed. Clinical features, surgical techniques, and outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS: From 25 eyes of 23 patients with VPTs, 17 (68%) eyes underwent surgical intervention to treat tumor activity and associated complications including epiretinal membrane (n = 10, 59%), retinal detachment (n = 8, 47%), and vitreous hemorrhage (n = 3, 18%). All eyes underwent pars plana vitrectomy with endolaser/cryotherapy to control tumor activity and to treat associated complications. Three cases required tumor resection. At the end of follow-up (mean 55.4 months, range 2-305 months), no eye presented tumor activity or retinal detachment after one or two surgeries. There was no epiretinal membrane recurrence. The mean baseline best-corrected visual acuity was 1.2 ± 0.7 logMAR, and the mean final best-corrected visual acuity was 0.7 ± 0.6 logMAR ( P < 0.05). The best-corrected visual acuity improved two or more lines in 12 (70.5%) eyes at the end of follow-up. CONCLUSION: In this series of patients with large active VPTs, surgical intervention allowed control of the tumor activity in all patients and provided overall satisfactory anatomic and functional outcomes.

Multimodal Imaging and Histopathological Evaluation of Berger's Space.

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the multimodal imaging and histopathology of Berger's space. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective in vivo analysis of 4 patients demonstrating Berger's space with intraocular pathological conditions, documented by slit-lamp biomicroscopic photography and, in 2 patients, also by optical coherence tomography (OCT). Additionally, we carried out a retrospective histological study of 7 enucleated eyes with retinoblastoma demonstrating Berger's space. A review of the literature was also performed. RESULTS: Two eyes had slit-lamp photographs. One case showed Berger's space surrounded by vitreous hemorrhage. In the other case, amyloid was trapped within Berger's space. In another 2 eyes that were pseudophakic, Berger's space was visible on anterior segment OCT. One had amyloid trapped in Berger's space that could be seen with OCT. The histological review of the 7 enucleated eyes with advanced retinoblastoma demonstrated the presence of pyknotic cells in Berger's space. CONCLUSIONS: Berger's space is an actual space in pathological conditions and can be an important site of pathology. Additionally, to our knowledge, this is the first time that Berger's space has been documented by anterior segment OCT in a clinical setting.

The use of anterior segment optical coherence tomography (ASOCT) in demonstrating recurrence of vitreoretinal lymphoma (VRL) in the anterior vitreous.

BACKGROUND: Primary vitreoretinal lymphoma (VRL) is a rare disease with 30-380 new cases in the United States per year. Its insidious process and spread to the central nervous system (CNS) leads to a mean 5-year survival rate from 41.4 to 71%. Medical treatment of VRL has been summarized extensively in the literature and involves intraocular rituximab and methotrexate as first line agents in unilateral VRL, with systemic chemotherapy to be considered in bilateral or CNS-involving disease. In addition, therapeutic "debulking" vitrectomy has been reported in the literature, with some limited success. Despite this, recurrence rate is high and should always be suspected in the setting of new inflammation. Anterior segment optical coherence tomography (ASOCT) has not been previously used to image VRL recurrence in the anterior vitreous. CASE PRESENTATION: A 63-year-old man, with VRL was found to have cells and debris in the anterior vitreous, 10 months after his first vitrectomy, intravitreal rituximab and methotrexate. Since the patient was phakic at the time of initial vitrectomy, the anterior vitreous had not been removed. ASOCT confirmed the findings. Subsequent surgery removed the lens and debris. Both the patient's vision and ASOCT improved. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that ASOCT of the anterior segment is a useful diagnostic tool to monitor for recurrence of VRL. In biopsy-proven VRL, phakic patients who undergo therapeutic vitrectomy, should also be considered for lens extraction and anterior vitrectomy to limit recurrences.

Percepção e prática de atividade física regular entre usuários de serviço de atenção primária à saúde / Perception and practice of regular physical activity among primary healthcare service users

Objetivo: caracterizar a percepção e prática de atividade física regular entre usuários de Serviço de Atenção Primária à Saúde. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo transversal, realizado com adultos e idosos de ambos os sexos adscritos em uma Unidade Básica de Saúde (UBS) de Belo Horizonte/MG. Os dados foram coletados com auxílio de questionário previamente testado, contendo informações sociodemográficas e econômicas, antropométricas (peso, altura e circunferências da cintura e quadril, com posterior cálculo do Índice de Massa Corporal e razão cintura/quadril). Para avaliação da percepção e prática de atividade física, realizaram-se testes físicos de flexibilidade, de resistência muscular e de degraus, além de aplicação do Questionário Internacional de Atividades Físicas. Resultados: Foram entrevistados 499 usuários, sendo 82,8% mulheres e 69,1% adultos, com média de idade de 51±15,5 anos. Verificou-se elevado percentual de sobrepeso (35,5% em adultos e 52,5% em idosos) e obesidade (25,1%), além de indivíduos com risco muito elevado para ocorrência de complicações metabólicas associadas à obesidade (39,4%) e doenças cardiovasculares (42,8%). Dos participantes, 42,3% consideraram-se inativos, sendo tal percepção mais prevalente entre as mulheres (p=0,01). Destaca-se a caminhada como atividade física mais realizada pelos usuários (79,5%). Entre os testes físicos aplicados, o teste de degraus apresentou maior limitação entre os indivíduos, resultando em 90,2% de desistência em executá-lo. A classificação de flexibilidade, resistência muscular e consumo máximo de oxigênio (VO2 max) associaram-se ao IMC em adultos (p<0,05). Conclusão: Verificou-se elevada prevalência de excesso de peso associada ao baixo nível de atividade física na população estudada, denotando-se a necessidade de ações de conscientização da importância da regularidade dessa prática na promoção da saúde.

Objective: To characterize the perception of regular physical activity and its practice among Primary Healthcare Service users. Methods: This is a cross sectional study conducted with adult and elderly users of a Basic Health Unit (BHU) in Belo Horizonte/MG. Data were collected using a pre-tested questionnaire containing sociodemographic and financial information, and anthropometric data (weight, height, waist and hip circumference, with subsequent calculation of Body Mass Index and waist/hip ratio). To assess the perception and practice of physical activity, tests were conducted on flexibility, muscle endurance, and stair climbing. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire was also applied. Results: Interviews were conducted with 499 users, 82.8% female and 69.1% adults, mean age 51 ± 15.5 years. The group presented a high percentage of overweight (35.5% adults and 52.5% elderly) and obesity (25,1%), as well as individuals with a very high risk for the occurrence of metabolic complications associated with obesity (39.4%) and cardiovascular disease (42.8%). In the study sample, 42.3% considered themselves physically inactive, this perception being most prevalent among the women (p=0.01). Walking stood out as the most common physical activity practiced (79.5%). Among the physical tests applied, the stairs test was the most limiting, resulting in a 90.2% dropout rate in its execution. There were statistically significant associations of the classifications of flexibility, muscle endurance, and VO2 max, with BMI (p<0.05). Conclusion: A high prevalence of excess weight associated with a low level of physical activity was identified in the study population, indicating the need for actions to raise awareness of the importance of the regularity of this practice in promoting health

Doença inflamatória pélvica: atualização / Inflammatory pelvic disease: updating

A doença inflamatória pélvica (DIP) consiste em espectro de infecções do trato genital superior que inclui: endometrite, salpingite, abscesso tubo-ovariano e/ou peritonite pélvica. Constitui-se em infecção polimicrobiana do trato genital superior feminino devido à sua contaminação pelos microrganismos do endocérvice e da vagina. São fatores de risco para o desenvolvimento de DIP: idade entre 15-24 anos, vida sexual ativa, múltiplos parceiros, inserção de dispositivo intra-uterino (DIU) há menos de 20 dias e história pregressa de DIP. Procedimentos e cirurgias pélvicos com manipulação de canal cervical podem predispor à infecção por alterarem a barreira cervical protetora. A DIP é um dos processos infecciosos mais frequentes nas mulheres em idade reprodutiva e é entidade de difícil diagnóstico devido às manifestações clínicas diversas. O diagnóstico é muito provável diante de dor à palpação cervical, uterina e/ou de anexos, acompanhados de febre, corrimento vaginal mucopurulento ou leucorreia, sangramento intermenstrual e pós-coito, dispareunia, disúria e polaciúria. O tratamento da DIP deve prover antibioticoterapia empírica de amplo espectro para os patógenos mais prováveis: N. gonorrhoeae e C. trachomatis, pois o rastreamento negativo para esses organismos não exclui infecção do trato reprodutivo superior. A precocidade das medidas terapêuticas é importante na prevenção de sequelas de longo prazo e a opção por tratamento ambulatorial ou hospitalar deve ser baseada no julgamento médico. Parceiros sexuais de mulheres com DIP devem ser examinados e tratados caso tenham tido relação sexual com a paciente nos 60 dias anteriores ao aparecimento dos sintomas. O rastreamento e tratamento da infecção por clamídia em mulheres sexualmente ativas diminui o risco de elas contraírem DIP. Grávidas com suspeita de DIP devem ser internadas para receber tratamento parenteral. Não foram estabelecidas diferenças nas manifestações clínicas da DIP em mulheres soropositivas e negativas para o HIV. Ambos os grupos respondem igualmente bem aos tratamentos parenteral e oral. (AU)

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) consists in a spectrum of upper genital tract infections including: endometritis, salpingitis, tube-ovarian abscess and / or pelvic peritonitis. It constitutes polymicrobial infection of upper female genital tract because of its contamination by microrganisms from the vagina and endocervix. Risk factors for the development of PID are: aged 15-24 years, sexual activity, multiple partners, insertion of an intrauterine device (IUD) for less than 20 days and a history of PID. Procedures and pelvic surgery with manipulation of the cervical canal may predispose to infection by altering the cervical protective barrier. PID is one of the most common infectious processes in women in reproductive age and it is an entity of difficult diagnosis due to the diverse clinical manifestations. The diagnosis is most likely on painful palpation of the cervix, uterus or attachments, accompanied by fever, depurulent vaginal discharge or leukorrhea, intermenstrual and postcoital bleeding, dyspareunia, dysuria and pollakiuria. The treatment of PID should provide broad-spectrum empiric antibiotic therapy for the most likely pathogens: N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis, because negative screening for these organisms does not exclude infection of the upper reproductive tract. The early therapeutic measures are important in preventing long-term sequelae and the option for outpatient or hospital treatment should be based on medical judgment. Sexual partners of women with PID should be examined and treated if they had sexual relations with the patient 60 days prior to the onset of symptoms. Screening and treatment of chlamydial infection in sexually active women decreases the risk of them contracting PID. Pregnant women with suspected PID should be hospitalized to receive parenteral treatment. No differences were found in clinical manifestations of PID in women seropositive and negative for HIV. Both groups respond equally well to parenteral and oral treatments. (AU)