Diabetic macular edema treatment with subthreshold micropulse laser - five-year long monitoring.

AIM: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of diabetic macular edema (DME) therapy using subthreshold micropulse laser (SMPL) with a wavelength of 577 nm during a long-term monitoring period of 5 years. METHODS: The cohort included the total number of 52 eyes of 34 patients with DME. All underwent the standard laser treatment for the diabetic retinopathy outside the macula and DME treatment with SMPL. Subsequent check-ups were followed every 3 months in the first year of treatment, and every 4 to 6 months in the following years. The treatment was combined neither with focal macular laser nor with anti-VEGF therapy. RESULTS: The mean central retinal thickness (CRT) was 345.9 µm SD 122.6 µm at the beginning of the monitoring. At the end of the follow-up period five years after treatment it was 256.4 µm SD 98.4 µm. The mean CRT decreased by 89.5 µm SD 153.6 µm during 5 years. At the beginning of the monitoring, before treatment with SMPL, the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 70.0, SD 10.1 ETDRS letters. One year after therapy, BCVA was 72, SD 10.0 letters, two years later it was 71.4, SD 10.4 letters and decreased to 66.9, SD 12.1 letters after 5 years. The mean BCVA decreased by merely 3.1, SD 10.9 letters during 5 years. CONCLUSION: Based on our long-term observations, the DME treatment with SMPL appears to be an effective method for reducing DME and protecting BCVA against rapid worsening.

Intrathecal midazolam as supplementary analgesia for chronic lumbar pain--15 years' experience.

BACKGROUND: The antinociceptive effect of intrathecal midazolam is based on its affecting spinal gamma-amino butyric acid receptors. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate pain relief in patients with chronic low back pain and failed back surgery syndrome after a single-shot intrathecal administration of midazolam. DESIGN: A prospective, open-label study. OUTCOME MEASURES: The analgesic effect was determined using a patient questionnaire during subsequent visits to the pain therapy service. We classified at least a 50% pain reduction with improved quality of life and improved functional condition as a positive outcome. RESULTS: Between 1995 and 2010, we performed 500 administrations: 227 administrations in 57 male patients and 273 administrations in 69 female patients. We performed 81 administrations for chronic low back pain and 419 administrations for failed back surgery syndrome. The average age of our patients was 50 years (range 28 to 86). The dose administered ranged from 2 to 5 mg of midazolam. The analgesic effect lasted 9.7 weeks on average, ranging from 1 week to 3 years; the most common reported duration was between 4 and 12 weeks (3 months). In 65% of patients, we achieved pain relief lasting 4 weeks or longer; in 13%, the administration provided no analgesic effect at all. The incidence of side effects (drowsiness, nausea, headache, or transient worsening of complaints) was rather low. CONCLUSION: Intrathecal midazolam is a useful supplement to standard analgesic therapy with opioids, non-opioids, or spinal steroids.