Expert Panel Consensus for Addressing Anti-VEGF Treatment Challenges of Diabetic Macular Edema in Spain.

Purpose: The treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME) has evolved rapidly in the past decade, highlighting the need to address the challenges of routine clinical practice decision-making through expert consensus agreements. Methods: After a literature review and discussion of real-world experience on DME management, a group of ten retina specialists agreed on a consensus of recommendations for the most appropriate management of DME patients using vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors (anti-VEGF) in Spain. Results: The panel recommended early treatment initiation in DME patients with worse baseline visual acuity (VA) to maintain or improve outcome. For patients with good VA, an observation strategy was recommended, considering the presence of diabetic retinopathy, optical coherence tomography biomarkers, and impact on patient's quality of life. Based on the available evidence and clinical experience, the panel recommended the use of anti-VEGF intensive loading doses with the objective of achieving anatomic and visual responses as soon as possible, followed by a Treat & Extend (T&E) strategy to maintain VA improvement. Aflibercept was recommended for patients with a baseline decimal VA <0.5, followed by a T&E strategy, including the possibility to extend frequency of injections up to 16 weeks. Conclusion: An expert panel proposes a consensus for the management of DME in Spain. Early treatment initiation with anti-VEGF in DME patients is recommended to maintain or improve VA; aflibercept is recommended for patients with a poor baseline VA.

Epiretinal Membrane Surgery in Daily Clinical Practice: Results of a Proposed Management Scheme.

PURPOSE: To report the results of the epiretinal membrane (ERM) management guidelines followed in our center. METHODS: Patients with ERM seen between 2014 and 2015, with ≥2 years follow-up or who had undergone ERM surgery, were included. Corrected visual acuity (VA), lens status, and ERM configuration were recorded at each visit. Our guidelines for ERM are if VA is ≥20/30, observation is recommended unless there is moderate/intense metamorphopsia. Vitrectomy is recommended during follow-up if there is a drop >one line in VA with changes in ERM configuration. If VA at diagnosis is <20/30, vitrectomy is recommended. If visual loss is thought to be due to cataract, phacoemulsification is performed first and visual status reevaluated. RESULTS: Ninety-nine eyes of 94 patients were included; 52 eyes underwent vitrectomy, and 47 eyes were monitored. From eyes with VA at diagnosis <20/30 (41 eyes), 8 eyes underwent isolated phacoemulsification: VA improved to ≥20/30. Vitrectomy was recommended but refused by 4 patients. The other 29 eyes underwent vitrectomy. Of the 58 eyes with VA at diagnosis ≥20/30, 5 underwent surgery due to metamorphopsia. Eighteen eyes underwent vitrectomy during follow-up. VA improved a mean of 0.13 logMAR (SD 0.30) after vitrectomy. There were no differences in mean VA improvement between eyes that underwent vitrectomy within six months of diagnosis (0.24, SD 0.32) and those that underwent surgery more than six months after diagnosis (mean 0.17, SD 0.17), p=0.106. Three eyes developed postsurgical complications with visual loss: persistent macular edema in one eye, two consecutive retinal detachments in one eye, and a central visual defect in another eye. At the end of follow-up, VA was similar in the observation group (0.14, SD 0.14) and in the vitrectomy group (0.16, SD 0.28), p=0.528. CONCLUSIONS: Our proposed guidelines lead to visual preservation in most patients while limiting surgery and its possible complications.

Ultrasound biomicroscopy in nonperforating filtering surgery with intraoperative 5-fluorouracil and no implant: long-term results.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the long-term morphologic changes in the anterior segment structures after nonpenetrating filtering surgery (NPFS) supplemented with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and no scleral implant using ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM). METHODS: Thirteen eyes of 13 consecutive patients who underwent NPFS with intraoperative 5-FU under the conjunctiva and the scleral flap and no implant were evaluated in an observational nonrandomized, consecutive case series study conducted 2 years postoperatively. Patients were assessed for the presence of a subconjunctival filtering bleb, the volume of an intrascleral cavity, and a suprachoroidal hypoechoic area. The intraocular pressure(IOP) was measured preoperatively and postoperatively at the time of UBM. RESULTS: The IOP decreased significantly (p=0.01) from 24-/+7.6 mmHg to 13.7-/+4.1 mmHg. In most patients (69.2%), the postoperative IOP decreased at least 30% from the preoperative value without medications and in 84.6% with medication. UBM showed a subconjunctival empty space in 92.3% of eyes. In 84.6% of patients, an intrascleral cavity was seen, the mean volume of which was 1.68 mm(3) (range, 0-4.07). We found a negative correlation between the height, width, and volume of the intrascleral lake and the IOP. In 92.3% of eyes, a hypoechoic area in the suprachoroidal space also was seen. CONCLUSIONS: UBM showed a filtering intrascleral cavity, subconjunctival filtering bleb, and a suprachoroidal space after NPFS supplemented with 5-FU under the conjunctiva and the scleral flap without an implant.

Efectos de la irradiación Gamma en ratones / Consequences of Gamma radiation to mice skin

OBJETIVO: Determinar los efectos clínicos, sanguíneos e histopatológicos en ratones, por efecto de la exposición cutánea de los mismos a radiación gamma. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Estudio experimental. Se empleó 30 ratones albinos, de cepa Balc-10, los cuales fueron irradiados a dosis fraccionadas, 1,2, 1,8, 2,4, 3,0, y 3,6 Gy, durante tres sesiones dejando una semana de intervalo entre cada sesión. RESULTADOS: Las alteraciones producidas con valores de radiación menor al umbral de 3 Gy variaron en relación directa al incremento de la dosis, para que luego de sobrepasar el umbral se produjera un efecto inverso. En el ámbito sanguíneo se observó una marcada disminución de células sanguíneas, en su mayoría linfocitos. CONCLUSIONES: Se evidenció que la irradiación gamma produce variados efectos que dependen de la dosis, así como del número de irradiaciones.