Incidence and visual outcomes of acute endophthalmitis post intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factors in a single referral center.

BACKGROUND: To describe the incidence and factors predicting visual outcome in patients with infectious endophthalmitis following intravitreal anti-VEGF injection. METHODS: Retrospective, single-site, cohort study. Patients with acute endophthalmitis within 6 weeks of intravitreal anti-VEGF injection who were referred to our practice after inciting injection or were injected by us between January 2010 and July 2017 were included. All patients received intravitreal antibiotics with either vitreous/anterior chamber tap (TAP) or pars plana vitrectomy. Visual outcomes pre/post treatment, baseline variables (age, gender, ocular disease) and cultures results were studied. RESULTS: Seventy eyes of 69 patients were included. Presenting VA was the strongest factor associated with final visual outcome after adjusting for other variables including culture status and baseline VA (p = .0002). Cultures were positive in 62.8% of eyes and were associated with worse visual outcome (p = .0087). Growth of Streptococcus or microorganisms other than coagulase negative Staphylococci (CNS) was also associated with worse prognosis, regardless of baseline and presenting VA (p = .0002). The crude incidence of post-injection endophthalmitis was 0.028% in our practice (40 eyes in 143,628 injections) during the study time. No significant difference was found between pre-filled bevacizumab versus ranibizumab or aflibercept drawn from a vial. CONCLUSIONS: In a large, single center, retrospective study, the incidence of acute endophthalmitis post anti-VEGF injection was relatively low. Worse visual acuity at presentation of endophthalmitis and growth of Streptococcus or organisms other than CNS were associated with the worst visual outcomes.

Postinjection endophthalmitis in the comparison of age-related macular degeneration treatments trials (CATT).

OBJECTIVE: To describe the incidence and outcomes of endophthalmitis after intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents in the Comparison of Age-Related Macular Degeneration Treatments Trials (CATT) and to assess the effect of prophylactic topical antimicrobials on incidence. DESIGN: Cohort study within a randomized clinical trial. PARTICIPANTS: Patients enrolled in CATT. METHODS: Patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration received intravitreal injections of ranibizumab or bevacizumab under 1 of 3 dosing regimens. The study protocol specified preinjection preparation to include use of a sterile lid speculum and povidone iodine (5%). Use of preinjection and postinjection antibiotics was at the discretion of the treating ophthalmologist. Patients were followed up monthly for 2 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Development of endophthalmitis and visual acuity. RESULTS: Endophthalmitis developed after 11 of 18 509 injections (1 per 1700 [0.06%]; 95% confidence interval, 0.03%-0.11%), and in 11 of 1185 patients (0.93%; 95% confidence interval, 0.52-1.66). Incidence of endophthalmitis was 0.15% among injections with no antibiotic use, 0.08% among injections with preinjection antibiotics only, 0.06% among injections with postinjection antibiotics only, and 0.04% among injections with preinjection and postinjection antibiotics (P = 0.20). All eyes were treated with intravitreal antibiotics and 4 underwent vitrectomy. Among the 11 affected eyes, the final study visual acuity was 20/40 or better in 4 eyes (36%), 20/50 to 20/80 in 2 eyes (18%), 20/100 to 20/160 in 3 eyes (27%), and worse than 20/800 in 2 eyes (18%). The final visual acuity was within 2 lines of the visual acuity before endophthalmitis in 5 eyes (45%). CONCLUSIONS: Rates of endophthalmitis were low and similar to those in other large-scale studies. Use of topical antibiotics either before or after injection does not seem to reduce the risk for endophthalmitis.

Baseline characteristics and response to treatment of participants with hemiretinal compared with branch retinal or central retinal vein occlusion in the standard care vs corticosteroid for retinal vein occlusion (SCORE) study: SCORE study report 14.

OBJECTIVE: To compare baseline characteristics and treatment response of participants with hemiretinal vein occlusion (HRVO) with those of participants with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) or central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) in the Standard Care vs COrticosteroid for REtinal Vein Occlusion (SCORE) Study. METHODS: Eyes were randomized to standard care, 1 mg intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide, or 4 mg intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide. Standard care was observation in the SCORE-CRVO trial and grid photocoagulation in the SCORE-BRVO trial. The HRVO eyes were enrolled in the SCORE-BRVO trial. Baseline characteristics, changes in visual acuity and center point thickness, safety outcomes, and number of treatments were compared among HRVO, BRVO, and CRVO participants. RESULTS: At baseline, HRVO eyes were intermediate between BRVO and CRVO eyes in area of retinal thickening, area of fluorescein leakage, visual acuity, and center point thickness. No differences in visual acuity change from baseline to 1 year were noted between standard care groups for HRVO and BRVO. Within triamcinolone-treated eyes, HRVO eyes did not differ from BRVO eyes in visual acuity change, but HRVO eyes fared better than CRVO eyes. There were no differences in center point thickness change between standard care groups for HRVO and BRVO, nor were there differences across the 3 disease entities for triamcinolone-treated eyes. There were no differences in frequency of protocol treatments and adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: The HRVO participants were similar to BRVO and CRVO participants regarding most demographic characteristics, with fundus findings intermediate between BRVO and CRVO. In the SCORE Study, HRVO was treated as BRVO; HRVO eyes responded to treatment similarly to BRVO eyes, and there was no difference among the 3 disease entities in frequency of protocol treatments and adverse events. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00105027.

Clinical predictors and outcomes of pars plana vitrectomy for retained lens material after cataract extraction.

PURPOSE: To determine current clinical predictors and visual outcomes of patients who undergo pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for retained lens material. DESIGN: Retrospective, noncomparative, consecutive case series. METHODS: Medical records of 166 patients with complicated cataract surgery who underwent PPV for retained lens material at Retina Vitreous Consultants of Pittsburgh between January 1, 2001 and January 1, 2007 were reviewed. Main outcome measures include final visual acuity, development of glaucoma, retinal detachments, and cystoid macular edema. RESULTS: At the final examination, 120 patients (72.3%) had a visual outcome of 20/40 or better and 18 patients (10.8%) had a visual outcome of 20/200 or worse. In patients without any preoperative eye conditions, 82.6% achieved a final vision of 20/40 or better. Multivariable analysis showed that predictors for visual outcomes of 20/40 or better were better presenting vision (P = .001), insertion of a posterior chamber lens (P = .005), and absence of preoperative eye disease (P = .001). Predictors for visual outcomes of 20/200 or worse were the absence of an anterior vitrectomy at cataract surgery (P = .005), absence of a sulcus lens (P = .011), presence of preexisting eye disease (P = .02), and development of glaucoma (P = .001). Performing a PPV within 7 days of cataract surgery was associated with a lower risk of developing glaucoma (P = .005). CONCLUSIONS: Current techniques for management of retained lens material may contribute to improved visual outcomes based on our series. We recommend that the cataract surgeon perform an anterior vitrectomy, place a posterior chamber lens if possible, and consult a retina specialist for a PPV within 7 days to decrease the risk of developing secondary glaucoma.

Diabetes and postcataract extraction endophthalmitis.

This paper reports the results of an exploratory analysis among patients in the Endophthalmitis Vitrectomy Study to determine if there was a different response to treatment in diabetes and whether the signs and symptoms of endophthalmitis differ between diabetic and nondiabetic patients. Patients in this multicenter clinical trial were followed for 9 months after random assignment to either vitrectomy or tap/biopsy. Outcome measures included visual acuity assessed in standardized fashion. Fifty-eight of 420 study patients were diabetic. Diabetics presented with slightly worse vision and ocular media. Only 39% of diabetics compared with 55% of nondiabetics achieved 20/40 final vision. Both diabetic and nondiabetic patients who presented with vision of only light perception (LP) had better visual results with immediate vitrectomy. For those who presented with better than LP vision, diabetics achieved 20/40 more often with vitrectomy (57%) than with tap/biopsy (40%), but non diabetics did equally well with vitrectomy or tap/biopsy. In the diabetic group, small numbers did not allow adequate statistical power to test treatment difference. A new clinical trial is needed to determine if in fact there is a difference in response to treatment among diabetic and nondiabetic patients who present with better than LP vision.