Subretinal fluid in macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion.

We identified characteristics of patients with subretinal fluid (SRF) in macular edema (ME) secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) and determined their clinical outcomes after anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment. Fifty-seven eyes of BRVO patients with ME were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of SRF at diagnosis. We compared the aqueous profiles, ocular and systemic characteristics at baseline, and the clinical outcomes. The SRF group had significantly greater central subfield thickness (CST) values and poorer best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at baseline compared to the non-SRF group. The former group had significantly higher aqueous levels of interleukin-8, VEGF, and placental growth factor. CST reduction and BCVA improvement during treatment were significantly greater in the SRF group than in the non-SRF group. Consequently, CST values were significantly lower in the SRF group than in the non-SRF group at 12 months, when BCVA did not differ significantly between the two groups. The SRF group required more frequent anti-VEGF treatment over 12 months and exhibited a higher rate of macular atrophy. Based on the aqueous profiles and the number of treatments required, the presence of SRF in BRVO patients appears to be associated with higher disease activity.

The relationship between blood vitamin A levels and diabetic retinopathy: a population-based study.

We assessed the relationship between blood vitamin A levels and the risk of diabetic retinopathy. The study was population-based epidemiological study for 11,727 participants aged 40 or older who participated in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Vitamin A in the blood was classified into quartiles. Diabetic retinopathy was diagnosed by the Early Treatment for Diabetic Retinopathy Study. After adjusting confounding variables such as age, sex, smoking, cholesterol, diabetes prevalence period, glycated hemoglobin levels, and high blood pressure, the odd ratio (OR) of vitamin A at quartile level 4 for diabetic retinopathy was 0.32 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.14-0.72, P for trend < 0.001). In male, the OR of quartile 3 level vitamin A for diabetic retinopathy was 0.11 (95% CI, 0.01-0.69, P for trend = 0.010). In adults under the age of 60, the OR of vitamin A at quartile level 3 for diabetic retinopathy was 0.10. (95% CI, 0.03-0.29, P for trend < 0.001). Serum vitamin A high levels are associated with low risk of diabetic retinopathy. Particularly, there is a more effective relationship in male and adults under the age of 60.

Yearly trends in the incidence of ocular traumas and the effects of COVID-19 pandemic: a nationwide population-based study of Korean data.

Background: Ocular trauma can cause irreversible visual impairment, and its incidence is higher than that of other ocular diseases in young patients. Past studies on ocular trauma have been limited in terms of small sample sizes, specific age groups, or a short period of assessment. Moreover, no studies have yet investigated the effects of changes in lifestyle during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on these trends. Therefore, we aimed to determine the yearly trends in the incidence of various ocular traumas over a 10-year period (2011-2020), and to evaluate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on these trends. Methods: In this nationwide, population-based, cross-sectional study, we recorded the yearly number of patients diagnosed with hyphema and those who underwent open reduction surgery for orbital blowout fracture (BOF), primary closure of the cornea or sclera (PCCS), and intraocular foreign body (IOFB) removal. Results: While the annual incidence of closed-globe injuries and PCCS decreased significantly in age groups less than 60 years over the past 10 years, the incidence of surgery for BOF and IOFB increased significantly in age groups greater than or equal to 60 years during the same period. When the 2020 data were compared with data from 2011-2019, hyphema showed the largest decrease (47.24%) in incidence among all ocular traumas, reaching significance in those ages less than 20 years (64.41%, P=0.004); the incidence of surgery for BOF also showed the largest decrease, in patients age less than 20 years. In the population age greater than or equal to 60 years, higher incidences of surgery for BOF and IOFB were observed (13.08% and 25.53%, respectively). Conclusions: While the incidence of closed-globe injuries has decreased over the past 10 years in age groups less than 60 years, those age with more than 60 years have become more prone to serious ocular trauma. During the COVID-19 era, the incidence of closed-globe injuries fell markedly in patients younger than 20 years of the age, possibly due to social distancing which involved school closures and reduction in outdoor activities.

Characteristics of major and macular branch retinal vein occlusion.

We compared the aqueous profiles, baseline characteristics, and clinical outcomes of 54 eyes with macular edema secondary to major branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) and macular BRVO. We also identified the characteristics of poor responders to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injections. Aqueous inflammatory cytokine and VEGF concentrations were significantly higher in major BRVO. In optical coherence tomography, major BRVO had a higher proportion with subretinal fluid, disorganization of retinal inner layers, and ellipsoid zone disruption. Comparing the clinical outcomes, major BRVO required more intravitreal anti-VEGF injections and had a poorer visual prognosis in the first 12 months. A significantly higher proportion of patients with major BRVO required additional treatments after 6 months compared to macular BRVO. Patients who responded poorly to anti-VEGF had higher aqueous VEGF levels and central subfield thickness (CST) at baseline. In conclusion, major BRVO patients required more and longer treatments, and had worse visual prognoses. BRVO that responds poorly to anti-VEGF had greater CST and higher aqueous VEGF levels at baseline.

Prediction of Visual Outcomes After Diabetic Vitrectomy Using Clinical Factors From Common Data Warehouse.

Purpose: We sought to analyze the visual outcome and systemic prognostic factors for diabetic vitrectomy and predicted outcomes using these factors. Methods: This was a multicenter electronic medical records (EMRs) review study of 1504 eyes with type 2 diabetes that underwent vitrectomy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy at 6 university hospitals. Demographics, laboratory results, intra-operative findings, and visual acuity (VA) values were analyzed and correlated with visual outcomes at 1 year after the vitrectomy. Prediction models for visual outcomes were obtained using machine learning. Results: At 1 year, VA was 1.0 logarithm of minimal angle resolution (logMAR) or greater (poor visual outcome group) in 456 eyes (30%). Baseline visual acuity, duration of diabetes treatment, tractional membrane, silicone oil tamponade, smoking, and vitreous hemorrhage correlated with logMAR VA at 1 year (r = 0.450, -0.159, 0.221, 0.280, 0.067, and -0.105; all P ≤ 0.036). An ensemble decision tree model trained using all variables generated accuracy, specificity, F1 score (the harmonic means of which precision and sensitivity), and receiver-operating characteristic curve area under curve values of 0.77, 0.66, 0.85, and 0.84 for the prediction of poor visual outcomes at 1 year after vitrectomy. Conclusions: Visual outcome after diabetic vitrectomy is associated with pre- and intra-operative findings and systemic factors. Poor visual outcome after diabetic vitrectomy was predictable using clinical factors. Intensive care in patients who are predicted to result in poor vision may limit vision loss resulting from type 2 diabetes. Translational Relevance: This study demonstrates that a real world EMR big data could predict outcome after diabetic vitrectomy using clinical factors.

Aqueous Humor Analyses in Patients with Diabetic Retinopathy Who Had Undergone Panretinal Photocoagulation.

Purpose: To determine the associations between aqueous humor cytokine levels and the severity of diabetic retinopathy and the prior panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) status of patients with diabetic macular edema (DME). Methods: We divided 98 DME patients into those with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), and PRP patients. We compared the concentrations of interleukin- (IL-) 1ß, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-17; placental growth factor (PlGF); and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the aqueous humors. We subclassified PRP patients by the interval between PRP and aqueous sampling and analyzed the associations between aqueous cytokine levels and this interval. Results: The aqueous humor levels of IL-6, IL-8, VEGF, and PlGF were significantly higher in the PDR group than in the NPDR group. The PlGF and VEGF levels in the PDR group were significantly higher than those in the PRP group. On PRP subgroup analyses, patients who had undergone PRP within 6 months prior exhibited higher levels of VEGF, PlGF, and TNF-α than did those who had undergone PRP more than 12 months prior. The TNF-α level of the PRP subgroup treated within 6 months prior was significantly higher than that of the PDR group. Regression analyses showed that the levels of VEGF, PlGF, and TNF-α decreased significantly as the interval between PRP and aqueous sampling became longer. Conclusions: PDR patients exhibited higher concentrations of VEGF and certain inflammatory cytokines than did NPDR and PRP patients. In the latter patients, the intraocular VEGF and inflammatory cytokine levels fell gradually over time.

Real-world treatment intensities and pathways of macular edema following retinal vein occlusion in Korea from Common Data Model in ophthalmology.

Despite many studies, optimal treatment sequences or intervals are still questionable in retinal vein occlusion (RVO) macular edema. The aim of this study was to examine the real-world treatment patterns of RVO macular edema. A retrospective analysis of the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership Common Data Model, a distributed research network, of four large tertiary referral centers (n = 9,202,032) identified 3286 eligible. We visualized treatment pathways (prescription volume and treatment sequence) with sunburst and Sankey diagrams. We calculated the average number of intravitreal injections per patient in the first and second years to evaluate the treatment intensities. Bevacizumab was the most popular first-line drug (80.9%), followed by triamcinolone (15.1%) and dexamethasone (2.28%). Triamcinolone was the most popular drug (8.88%), followed by dexamethasone (6.08%) in patients who began treatment with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents. The average number of all intravitreal injections per person decreased in the second year compared with the first year. The average number of injections per person in the first year increased throughout the study. Bevacizumab was the most popular first-line drug and steroids were considered the most common as second-line drugs in patients first treated with anti-VEGF agents. Intensive treatment patterns may cause an increase in intravitreal injections.

CLINICAL FEATURES OF INTRAVITREAL DEXAMETHASONE IMPLANTATION IN VITRECTOMIZED EYES OF PATIENTS WITH DIABETIC MACULAR EDEMA.

PURPOSE: To identify the clinical outcomes of intravitreal dexamethasone implantation (IVD) in previously vitrectomized eyes of patients with diabetic macular edema. METHOD: We performed a retrospective observational study. We recorded central subfield thickness, best-corrected visual acuity, and intraocular pressure up to 12 months after IVD implant placement. We compared the duration of IVD action, intraocular pressure trends, and the prevalence of ocular hypertension after the first IVD treatment of nonvitrectomized and vitrectomized eyes. We also compared the central subfield thickness, best-corrected visual acuity, number of IVD treatments, and prevalence of ocular hypertension between the 2 groups after 12 months. RESULTS: We found no significant between-group differences in the central subfield thickness, best-corrected visual acuity, or the prevalence of ocular hypertension during treatment. However, the duration of action of the first IVD treatment was significantly shorter in vitrectomized eyes, and these eyes required more IVD treatments during the 12-month follow-up period. The maximal average intraocular pressure was observed at 2 months after the first IVD treatment in the nonvitrectomized group, but 1 month after the first IVD treatment in the vitrectomized group. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the IVD pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics differ between vitrectomized and nonvitrectomized eyes. Nevertheless, given the relatively long-lasting effectiveness of the treatment and the good clinical results, consecutive IVD treatments may be beneficial for patients with diabetic macular edema with previously vitrectomized eyes.

Aqueous humor analyses of diabetic macular edema patients with subretinal fluid.

We identified treatment-naïve diabetic macular edema (DME) patients with or without subretinal fluid (SRF). We compared their baseline characteristics: aqueous concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-17, as well as tumor necrosis factor-α, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and placental growth factor (PlGF). We also compared fundus and optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings, and responsiveness to anti-VEGF treatments. Of 67 DME patients, 18 (26.87%) had SRF. Compared to the no SRF group, the SRF group had significantly higher levels of IL-6, IL-8, VEGF, and PlGF in aqueous humor. After grouping according to diabetic retinopathy stage, non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) patients with SRF had higher aqueous levels of IL-6 and IL-8, compared to NPDR patients without SRF. Moreover, proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) patients with SRF had higher aqueous levels of VEGF and PlGF, compared to PDR patients without SRF. Fundus and OCT analyses revealed that the SRF group had a greater proportion of patients with succinate or patch-shaped hard exudates involving the macula, and greater central subfield thickness (CST) at baseline. After 6 months of anti-VEGF treatments, the SRF group showed better responsiveness in terms of CST; however, visual acuity was not correlated with responsiveness. Considering higher aqueous levels of VEGFs and pro-inflammatory cytokines, SRF could be a biomarker related to diabetic retinopathy activity. DME patients with SRF showed better anatomical responsiveness to anti-VEGF treatments, but did not show better functional improvement on short-term evaluation compared to those of DME patients without SRF.

Therapeutic Efficacy of Autologous Platelet Concentrate Injection on Macular Holes with High Myopia, Large Macular Holes, or Recurrent Macular Holes: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial.

We aimed to evaluate the anatomical and functional outcomes of pars-plana vitrectomy (PPV) with or without autologous platelet concentrate (APC) injection in patients with recurrent macular holes (MHs), large MHs, or MHs with high myopia. This multicenter, prospective, interventional randomized controlled trial was conducted from March 2017 to April 2020. Participants were randomly allocated to a PPV group or a PPV+APC group. All participants underwent standard 25-gauge PPV, and eyes in the PPV+APC group underwent PPV with intravitreal APC injection before air-gas exchange. A total of 117 patients were enrolled (PPV group: n = 59, PPV+APC group: n = 58). Hole closure was achieved in 47 participants (79.7%) in the PPV group and 52 participants (89.7%) in the PPV+APC group. There were no between-group differences in the anatomical closure rate or functional outcomes including best-corrected visual acuity, metamorphopsia, pattern-reversal visual evoked potential, or Visual Function Questionnaire-25 score. The use of APC injection does not improve the anatomical and functional outcomes of surgery for large MHs, recurrent MHs, or MHs with high myopia. The adjunctive use of APC can be considered in selected cases because it is not inferior to conventional MH surgery, is relatively simple to perform, and is not affected by the surgeon's skill.

Risk factors for ocular hypertension after intravitreal dexamethasone implantation in diabetic macular edema.

We designed a retrospective observational study to identify factors associated with ocular hypertension [OHTN, defined as intraocular pressure (IOP) > 25 mmHg] after intravitreal dexamethasone (IVD) implantation in diabetic macular edema (DME) patients. We measured IOP monthly after placement of an IVD implant, and identified the trend of IOP, incidence of OHTN, and its associated systemic or ocular factors. On average, IOP was highest at 2 months after IVD implantation. Of 84 DME patients who received an IVD implant, 3 (3.57%) presented with an IOP ≥ 25 mmHg at 1 month after implantation, 6 (7.14%) at 2 months, and 2 (2.38%) at 3 months. Compared with the non-OHTN group, the OHTN group had significantly shorter axial lengths and were younger. Logistic regression analysis revealed that axial length < 23.00 mm and age < 57 years were associated with OHTN occurrence. Patients whose IOP was elevated > 30% or ≥ 20 mmHg at 1 month post-implantation, subsequently developed OHTN with statistical significance. In conclusion, shorter axial length and younger age were associated with OHTN occurrence after IVD implantation. Additionally, identifying levels or trends in IOP at 1 month after the IVD procedure may be helpful in predicting subsequent OHTN occurrence.

Incidence and seasonality of major ocular trauma: a nationwide population-based study.

We designed this study to identify the epidemiological characteristics and trends of various types of ocular trauma in the population of the Republic of Korea. We conducted a nationwide, population-based, cross-sectional study using the Korean National Health Insurance claims database for January 2010 to December 2018. We compiled the monthly numbers of patients diagnosed with hyphema and those who received open reduction surgery due to orbital blowout fracture (BOF), primary closure of the cornea or sclera (PCCS), or intraocular foreign body (IOFB) removal. We obtained annual and monthly incidence rates, and differences according to age, sex, yearly trends, and seasonal variations. The incidence rate (per 100,000 person-years) was high in the order of hyphema (18.43), BOF (11.58), PCCS (1.99) and IOFB removal (0.39). Male predominance was evident in all types of major ocular trauma, but the age distribution varied with the type: hyphemas were most prevalent at 10-14 years of age, BOFs at 25-29 years of age, and open globe injuries (OGIs) at age 60 and older. Although all types of trauma showed significant seasonality, hyphemas (amplitude: 174.81) and BOFs (23.17) showed higher amplitudes compared to OGIs (PCCS: 11.96; IOFB removal: 6.72). While the incidence of blunt trauma injuries, including hyphemas and orbital BOFs, decreased steadily from 2010 to 2018, that of OGIs showed no remarkable change.

Glucose-Regulated Protein 78 in the Aqueous Humor of Patients with Diabetic Macular Edema.

PURPOSE: We identified the associations between levels of aqueous glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) and systemic or ocular factors in patients with center-involving diabetic macular edema (CIDME). METHODS: We measured the aqueous concentrations of GRP78, interleukin- (IL-) 1ß, IL-2, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-17, placental growth factor, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). We explored the associations between aqueous GRP78 levels and those of other aqueous factors, optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings, and systemic parameters in CIDME patients. RESULTS: In multivariate regression analysis, aqueous GRP78 levels were associated with aqueous VEGF levels (p = 0.007), length of EZ disruption (p = 0.007), length of EZ disruption (p = 0.007), length of EZ disruption (p = 0.007), length of EZ disruption (. CONCLUSIONS: Aqueous GRP78 levels correlated with VEGF levels in the aqueous humor and EZ disruption on OCT. However, GRP78 levels were not associated with those of inflammatory biomarkers in the aqueous humor or OCT findings. Additionally, GRP78 could not serve as a biomarker to predict short-term prognosis of anti-VEGF agent.

Characteristics of diabetic macular edema patients with serous retinal detachment.

To determine characteristics of diabetic macular edema patients with serous retinal detachment (SRD).We classified naïve diabetic macular edema (DME) patients with or without SRD, and compared their baseline characteristics; intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) responsiveness; aqueous concentrations of IL (interleukin)-1ß, -2, -8, -10, -17, placental growth factor (PlGF), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In addition, factors associated with the existence of SRD were identified.Of the 64 DME patients, 14 had SRD. The average levels of aqueous VEGF and PlGF were significantly higher in the SRD group than in the control group (P = .022 and P = .041, respectively). The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central subfield thickness (CST) did not differ significantly between the 2 groups at baseline or after 3 consecutive monthly IVBs. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the level of aqueous VEGF was the only factor associated with the existence of SRD (odds ratio: 1.03; P = .038).Rather than aqueous inflammatory cytokines, levels of aqueous VEGFs were associated with the occurrence of SRD in DME patients. In terms of prognosis, the existence of SRD was not related with BCVA or CST changes.

Factors associated with the duration of action of dexamethasone intravitreal implants in diabetic macular edema patients.

We designed this study to determine the association between the duration of action of intravitreal dexamethasone implants and aqueous humor biomarkers or optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings of diabetic macular edema (DME) patients. We measured the concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1ß, -8, -10, -17; placental growth factor; and vascular endothelial growth factor in the aqueous humor, and identified the number of hyperreflective foci (HF), grades of ellipsoid zone disruptions, and baseline central subfield thicknesses (CSTs) using OCT of patients with DME. The average duration of action of dexamethasone implants was 4.32 ± 1.18 months. In multivariate linear regression analyses, the duration of action was associated with aqueous IL-8 levels and the number of HF (ß = -0.016, p = 0.037 and ß = -0.073, p = 0.035, respectively). Multivariate logistic regression showed that the number of HF (>10) was significantly associated with a shorter duration (<4 months) of action (odds ratio: 17.17, p = 0.010). The duration of action of intravitreal dexamethasone implants in DME patients was associated with the level of aqueous IL-8 and the number of HF using OCT. Specifically, higher number of HF in the OCT was associated with a shorter duration of action.

Characteristics of diabetic macular edema patients refractory to anti-VEGF treatments and a dexamethasone implant.

PURPOSE: To determine the characteristics of diabetic macular edema (DME) patients refractory to intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) treatments and an additional dexamethasone implant. METHODS: We classified 119 DME patients according to whether or not they are responsive to 3 consecutive monthly anti-VEGF treatments and/or an additional dexamethasone implant. We compared their concentrations of IL (interleukin)-1ß, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17, placental growth factor (PlGF), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the aqueous humor as well as their optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings, and baseline characteristics. We used logistic regression analyses to identify preoperative factors related to refractoriness to treatments. RESULTS: Of 119 treatment-naïve DME patients, 50 (42.02%) patients showed responsiveness [central subfield thickness (CST) < 300µm] after 3 IVBs, and 59 (49.58%) patients showed responsiveness after an additional dexamethasone implant, but 10 (8.40%) patients showed CST 300 ≥ µm even after both treatments. Refractory DME patients showed significantly higher number of hyperreflective foci (HF) in the OCT and higher average level of aqueous IL-1ß at baseline (p<0.001 and p = 0.042, respectively). In the logistic regression analysis, higher number of HF in the OCT was associated with the refractoriness to both treatments (odds ratio [OR]: 7.03, p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: Higher number of HF in the OCT at the initial visit was associated with poor responses to IVBs and an additional dexamethasone implant.

The cost-effectiveness of medication, laser trabeculoplasty, and trabeculectomy for treatment of open-angle glaucoma in South Korea.

OBJECTIVES: Open-angle glaucoma (OAG) imposes high disease burden in South Korea. Although various effective interventions are available to manage the progression of OAG, there is limited data on the cost-effectiveness of these treatment strategies in South Korea. METHODS: Using a Markov cohort model, we evaluated the cost-effectiveness of 3 major treatment strategies (medication, laser trabeculoplasty, and trabeculectomy) for South Korean patients with OAG. We projected a 25-year time horizon to study a hypothetical cohort of 10,000 patients of age 40 with mild OAG. The outcome measures were quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained, cost from the societal perspective, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of medication, laser trabeculoplasty, and trabeculectomy. Interventions were evaluated at a willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of 30,000,000 KRW ($29,152) per QALY gained. Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted to address the model uncertainty. RESULTS: The mean costs for medication, laser trabeculoplasty, and trabeculectomy were 29,661,740 KRW, 17,34,1342 KRW, and 22,275,438 KRW, respectively. The mean QALYs gained were 15.7, 15.3, and 14.8 for medication, laser trabeculoplasty, and trabeculectomy, respectively. Surgery was strongly dominated because it generated fewer expected QALYs but incurred greater expected cost than laser. The ICER was 30,885,179 KRW per QALY for medication versus laser trabeculoplasty. Laser was cost-effective, however, at a lower WTP threshold of 21,000,000 KRW per QALY gained or below. The results were most sensitive to the progression rates from mild to moderate glaucoma under laser treatment. CONCLUSION: Under the WTP threshold of 30,000,000 KRW per QALY, medication was cost-effective compared with laser trabeculoplasty and trabeculectomy for treating mild OAG in South Korean population. Laser, however, can be a cost-effective alternative in more resource-limited settings.

Aqueous Humor Cytokine Levels in Diabetic Macular Edema Patients with Cotton-Wool Spots.

PURPOSE: To determine the characteristics of diabetic macular edema (DME) patients with cotton-wool spots (CWS). METHODS: We classified 80 treatment-naïve DME patients according to whether or not they had CWS involving macula and then compared the concentrations of interleukin- (IL-) 1ß, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17, placental growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 in the aqueous humor between the groups, as well as optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings, baseline characteristics, and intravitreal bevacizumab responsiveness. RESULTS: Aqueous levels of ICAM-1 and VEGF in the group with CWS were significantly higher than those in the non-CWS (control) group (p < 0.001 and p = 0.006, respectively). In multiple logistic regression analysis to identify factors associated with CWS, the aqueous ICAM-1 (≥0.36 ng/mL) was significantly associated with CWS (odds ratio = 13.26, p < 0.001). Based on OCT, ellipsoid zone (EZ) disruption distribution was significantly different between the two groups (p = 0.038). Regarding responsiveness to treatment, although there was no significant difference in central subfield thickness between the two groups after treatments, the best-corrected visual acuity was worse in the group with CWS. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of CWS was accompanied by higher levels of aqueous ICAM-1. Based on OCT, EZ disruption was greater in DME patients with CWS, and their short-term visual prognosis was poorer.

Glucose-regulated protein 78 in the aqueous humor in diabetic macular edema patients.

In this study, we explored the presence and elevation of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) in aqueous humor of patients with diabetic macular edema (DME).After comparing DME patients with the controls, we analyzed GRP78 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels in DME patients. We examined factors associated with GRP78 levels in DME patients.GRP78 was detected in aqueous humor with elevated levels in DME patients. Stepwise backward regression analysis showed that GRP78 levels were associated with the VEGF levels and the duration of diabetes (P < .001 and P = .002, respectively). However, no statistical significance was observed between GRP78 levels and the decrease in CST following 3 monthly anti-VEGF treatments in univariate regression analysis (P = .695).We showed that GRP78 is elevated in DME patients. In addition, there is a correlation between GRP78 and VEGF levels in aqueous humor. However, GRP78 levels were not associated with the responsiveness of anti-VEGF in DME patients.

Correction: Prognosis for ocular toxocariasis according to granuloma location.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202904.].