Purpose
To examine the 16-week outcomes of switching to brolucizumab in eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) refractory to aflibercept.
Study design
Retrospective ...observational study.
Methods
Data of eyes with nAMD who switched to brolucizumab because of resistance to aflibercept were collected. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA; in logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution), central retinal thickness (CRT), central choroidal thickness (CCT), and exudative status on optical coherence tomography were analyzed.
Results
A total of 48 eyes of 48 patients were reviewed. At 4 to 7 weeks after switching, BCVA changed from 0.26 ± 0.19 to 0.25 ± 0.21 (not significant;
P
= 0.95), but CRT significantly decreased from 298.9 ± 108.4 µm to 241.9 ± 92.5 µm (
P
< 0.001) and CCT from 182.6 ± 89.3 µm to 169.7 ± 82.6 µm (
P
< 0.001). Of the 23 eyes refractory to monthly aflibercept injections, 12 (52.2%) achieved a dry macula, and 8 (34.8%) reduced exudative changes at 1 month. At 16 weeks, 31 eyes (64.6%) achieved the treatment interval ≥ 8 weeks. Two patients (4.2%) dropped out, 7 eyes (14.6%) developed intraocular inflammation (IOI), and 8 eyes (16.7%) switched back to aflibercept because of the failure to extend the treatment interval ≥ 8 weeks.
Conclusion
Switching to brolucizumab in eyes refractory to aflibercept conferred favorable outcomes in controlling exudative changes. However, IOI and the regulation of the treatment interval to at least 8 weeks during the maintenance phase disrupted the continuation of brolucizumab treatment.
Purpose
We investigated the differences in displacement of the outer and inner macular retina toward the optic disc after vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling for epiretinal ...membrane (ERM). Foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area changes were also investigated.
Study design
Retrospective observational study
Methods
This retrospective observational case series included 45 eyes of 43 patients that underwent vitrectomy with ERM and ILM peeling for ERM and 38 normal eyes. The locations of the centroid of the FAZ (C-FAZ, center of the foveal inner retina) and foveal bulge (center of the foveal outer retina) were determined using 3×3mm superficial optical coherence tomography angiography. C-FAZ and foveal bulge displacements, and the pre- and postoperative FAZ areas and their associated factors, were investigated.
Results
Postoperative C-FAZ dislocated significantly more toward the optic disc than in pre-operative or normal eyes (
P
<0.001). C-FAZ and foveal bulge displaced toward the optic disc after surgery; C-FAZ showed significantly greater displacement than foveal bulge (
P
<0.001). The pre- and postoperative FAZ areas were correlated (
P
=0.01). Preoperative FAZ areas ≧0.10mm
2
were reduced after surgery, and FAZ areas < 0.10mm
2
were increased, independent of foveal displacement.
Conclusion
ILM peeling during vitrectomy for ERM caused larger displacement of the inner and smaller displacement of the outer retinas, towards the optic disc. Postoperative changes in the FAZ area were dependent on the baseline FAZ area, but not on the foveal displacement. ILM may physiologically exert centrifugal tractional forces on the fovea.
Abstract
Pachyvessels are pathologically dilated large choroidal vessels and are associated with the pathogenesis of several pachychoroid-related disorders, including central serous ...chorioretinopathy. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of and risk factors for pachyvessels in the Japanese population. We included 316 participants (aged ≥ 40 years) with normal right eyes. The presence of pachyvessels (vertical diameter > 300 µm, distance to the retinal pigment epithelium < 50 µm) was determined using 6 × 6 mm macular swept-source optical coherence tomography images, and associated risk factors were investigated. Subfoveal choroidal thickness was measured, and its associated risk factors investigated. The overall prevalence of pachychoroids was 9.5%. Regression analysis showed that a younger age, shorter axial length, male sex, and smoking were significantly associated with the presence of pachyvessels (
p
= 0.047; odds ratio OR 0.96 per year,
p
= 0.021; OR 0.61 per 1 mm,
p
= 0.012; OR 3.08 vs. female, and
p
= 0.011; OR 3.15 vs. non-smoker, respectively) and greater choroidal thickness (
p
< 0.001,
p
< 0.001,
p
< 0.003, and
p
< 0.017, respectively). The results were consistent with other research findings which showed that pachychoroid-related disorders such as central serous chorioretinopathy were associated with younger age, male sex, shorter axial length, and smoking. Smoking may be associated with choroidal circulatory disturbance in the Japanese population.
This retrospective study aimed to evaluate choroidal hemodynamics after half-dose photodynamic therapy (PDT) for central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) and the effects of smoking using laser speckle ...flowgraphy. This study included 29 eyes of 29 patients treated with half-dose PDT for CSC, who were followed-up for at least 6 months. The mean blur rate (MBR) in the PDT irradiation area (whole area), the pachyvessel (PV) area, non-PV (NPV) area, and filling delay (FD) area were assessed at baseline and 1, 3, and 6 months post-PDT, respectively. The MBR was also assessed by smoking status. The MBR significantly decreased from baseline in the whole, PV, NPV, and FD areas at all time points (P < 0.001). Of the 29 patients, 6 were never smokers, 13 were past smokers, and 10 were current smokers. At baseline, no significant difference was found in the MBR in the whole, PV, NPV, and FD areas among never, past, and current smokers. The MBR changes showed a significantly smaller decrease in current smokers than in never smokers in the whole (P = 0.021), PV (P = 0.009), and NPV (P = 0.034) areas, but not in the FD area (P = 0.172). Half-dose PDT for CSC reduced choroidal blood flow in the PDT-irradiated area, which was blunted by current smoking status.
Investigations of double-
Λ
hypernuclei, which contain two
Λ
hyperons in a nucleus, provide valuable information on baryon–baryon interaction in the strangeness
-
2
sector, such as the
Λ
–
Λ
...interaction. Whereas several double-
Λ
hypernuclei have been discovered in nuclear-emulsion experiments, an experimental observation of
Λ
Λ
5
H is awaited. It is not only because
Λ
Λ
5
H is theoretically expected to be the lightest bound state, but also because
Λ
Λ
–
Ξ
N
coupling may play an important role in its structure. On the other hand, the coupling effect may be suppressed in
Λ
Λ
6
He
.We propose an experiment to investigate
Λ
Λ
5
H at J-PARC.
Λ
Λ
5
H will be produced by a decay of a
Ξ
hypernucleus,
Ξ
7
H, which can be produced by the
7
Li
(
K
-
,
K
+
)
reaction. The mass of
Λ
Λ
5
H will be determined by means of decay pion spectroscopy; it can be calculated from the measured momentum of decay pions, owing to a two-body decay of
Λ
Λ
5
H.
Sensory dysfunctions and cognitive impairments are related to each other. Although a relationship between tinnitus and subjective olfactory dysfunction has been reported, there have been no reports ...investigating the relationship between tinnitus and olfactory test results.
To investigate the relationship between tinnitus and olfactory test results, we conducted sensory tests, including hearing and visual examinations. The subjects included 510 community-dwelling individuals (295 women and 215 men) who attended a health checkup in Yakumo, Japan. The age of the subjects ranged from 40 to 91 years (mean ± standard deviation, 63.8 ± 9.9 years). The participants completed a self-reported questionnaire on subjective tinnitus, olfactory function, and hearing function, as well as their lifestyle. The health checkup included smell, hearing, vision, and blood examinations.
After adjusting for age and sex, the presence of tinnitus was significantly associated with subjective olfactory dysfunction, poor olfactory test results, hearing deterioration, vertigo, and headache. Additionally, high serum calcium levels and a low albumin/globulin ratio were significantly associated with low physical activity and nutrition. Women scored higher than men in olfactory and hearing examinations, but there was no gender difference in vision examinations.
Subjective smell dysfunction and poor smell test results were significantly associated with tinnitus complaints. Hearing and vision were associated even after adjusting for age and sex. These findings suggest that evaluating the mutual relationships among sensory organs is important when evaluating the influence of sensory dysfunctions on cognitive function.
A simple method for preparation of DNA-carbon nanotubes hybrid hydrogel based on a two-step procedure including: (i) solubilization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) in aqueous solution of ...DNA, and (ii) chemical cross-linking between solubilized MWCNT via adsorbed DNA and free DNA by ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether is reported. We show that there exists a critical concentration of MWCNT below which a homogeneous dispersion of MWCNT in hybrid hydrogel can be achieved, while at higher concentrations of MWCNT the aggregation of MWCNT inside hydrogel occurs. The strengthening effect of carbon nanotube in the process of hydrogel shrinking in solutions with high salt concentration was demonstrated and significant passivation of MWCNT adsorption properties towards low-molecular-weight aromatic binders due to DNA adsorption on MWCNT surface was revealed.
PDF
