Yara Catoira

Conjunctival advancement versus nonincisional treatment for late-onset glaucoma filtering bleb leaks

OBJECTIVE To compare the outcomes of conjunctival advancement and nonincisional management of late-onset glaucoma filtering bleb leak. DESIGN Retrospective, nonrandomized, comparative interventional trial. PARTICIPANTS Fifty-one eyes of 48 persons who underwent management of late-onset glaucoma filtering bleb leak from December 1986 through December 1999 were included. Thirty-seven eyes were included in the nonincisional treatment group (aqueous suppression with lubrication or patching, bandage contact lenses, cyanoacrylate glue, autologous blood injection, or a combination thereof) and 34 eyes were included in the surgical revision group (conjunctival advancement with preservation of the preexisting bleb). Twenty eyes underwent nonincisional treatment before surgical revision and were included in each treatment group. METHODS Retrospective chart review of bleb leaks occurring at least 2 months after trabeculectomy. Successful treatment was defined as the resolution of the bleb leak, a final intraocular pressure (IOP) of 21 mmHg or less, and no significant complications such as blebitis, endophthalmitis, or bleb dysesthesia requiring a bleb revision. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Cumulative success of closure of the filtering bleb leak, complications resulting from the intervention, IOP before and after treatment, and number of glaucoma medications before and after treatment. RESULTS The Kaplan-Meier cumulative probability of success at 12 and 24 months were 0.45 and 0.42, respectively, for the nonincisional treatment group and 0.80 and 0.80, respectively, for the surgical revision group. The overall difference between the cumulative success of surgical and nonincisional treatment was statistically significant (P = 0.0001, log-rank test). In the nonincisional treatment group, only 20 of 37 eyes (54%) achieved initial sealing of the bleb leak after the treatment, and of those, almost half (8/20) eventually failed. Reasons for failure included persistent or recurrent leak (n = 21), blebitis or endophthalmitis (n = 6, including 4 with persistent leak), and bleb dysesthesia (n = 2). All eyes in the surgical group achieved closure of the leak, however 7 eventually failed because of leak recurrence (n = 2), elevated IOP (n = 3), or bleb dysesthesia (n = 2), and 11 required additional glaucoma medications. CONCLUSIONS Patients with late bleb leaks managed with conjunctival advancement were more likely to have successful outcomes and less likely to have serious intraocular infections than those managed more conservatively.

Intraocular pressure-lowering efficacy of bimatoprost 0.03% and travoprost 0.004% in patients with glaucoma or ocular hypertension

Aim: To evaluate the efficacies of bimatoprost and travoprost for lowering of intraocular pressure (IOP) for the treatment of glaucoma and ocular hypertension. Methods: Prospective, randomised, investigator-blinded, parallel-group clinical trial. After completing a washout of all glaucoma drugs, patients (n = 157) were randomised to bimatoprost or travoprost for 6 months. Visits were at baseline, 1 week, and 1, 3 and 6 months. IOP was measured at 09:00 h at each visit and also at 13:00 and 16:00 h at baseline and at 3 and 6 months. Results: No significant between-group differences were observed in IOP at baseline, at 09:00, 13:00 or 16:00 h (p⩾0.741). After 6 months, both drugs significantly reduced IOP at every time point (p⩽0.001). After 6 months, mean IOP reduction at 09:00 h was 7.1 mm Hg (27.9%) with bimatoprost (n = 76) and 5.7 mm Hg (23.3%) with travoprost (n = 81; p = 0.014). At 13:00 h, mean IOP reduction was 5.9 mm Hg with bimatoprost (25.3%) and 5.2 mm Hg (22.4%) with travoprost (p = 0.213). At 16:00 h, the mean IOP reduction was 5.3 mm Hg (22.5%) with bimatoprost and 4.5 mm Hg (18.9%; p = 0.207) with travoprost. Both study drugs were well tolerated, with ocular redness the most commonly reported adverse event in both treatment groups. Conclusions: Bimatoprost provided greater mean IOP reductions than travoprost.

Revision of dysfunctional filtering blebs by conjunctival advancement with bleb preservation

PURPOSE To assess the outcome of advancing a conjunctival flap with preservation of the bleb in eyes undergoing filtration bleb revision after trabeculectomy. METHODS A retrospective review of cases from a university-based referral practice identified 30 eyes of 30 patients that had undergone bleb revision after trabeculectomy by advancement of a conjunctival flap over the de-epithelialized bleb. Success was defined as resolution of the bleb-associated complication necessitating the revision (leak, hypotony, discomfort) with maintenance of intraocular pressure greater than or equal to 6 and less than or equal to 21 mm Hg without glaucoma medications. Qualified success met the above criteria but with the use of glaucoma medications. Summary data including visual acuity were obtained. RESULTS On the 30 eyes, 30 conjunctival advancement procedures were performed. Seventeen were for bleb leaks, 10 for prolonged hypotony without bleb leak, and three for dysesthetic bleb. Eighteen eyes (60%) were classified as a complete success and 24 eyes (80%) achieved at least a qualified success. Cumulative probability of at least qualified success was 77% at 2 years. Failures included inadequate intraocular pressure control (one eye), recurrent bleb leak (three eyes), and hypotony without bleb leak (two eyes). The mean preoperative intraocular pressure for all eyes increased from 4.4 +/- 3.7 mm Hg to 12.3 +/- 6.2 mm Hg (P <.00001) at the final visit with a mean follow-up of 18.9 +/- 15.5 months. Visual acuity improved or remained within 1 line of preoperative acuity in all but five patients. Complications included two patients with mild ptosis and four patients with hypertropia. CONCLUSION Advancement of a conjunctival flap with preservation the preexisting bleb often provides successful resolution of bleb-associated complications.

Levels of bimatoprost acid in the aqueous humour after bimatoprost treatment of patients with cataract.

Aim: To determine the aqueous humour concentration of the acid hydrolysis products of bimatoprost and latanoprost after a single topical dose of bimatoprost 0.03% or latanoprost 0.005% in humans. Methods: Randomised, controlled, double-masked, prospective study. 48 eyes of 48 patients scheduled for routine cataract surgery were randomised in an 8:2:2 ratio to treatment with a single 30 μl drop of bimatoprost 0.03%, latanoprost 0.005% or placebo at 1, 3, 6 or 12 h before the scheduled cataract surgery. Aqueous humour samples were withdrawn at the beginning of the surgical procedure and analysed using high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Results: Bimatoprost acid (17-phenyl trinor prostaglandin F2α) was detected in aqueous samples at a mean concentration of 5.0 nM at hour 1, 6.7 nM at hour 3 and 1.9 nM at hour 6 after bimatoprost treatment. After latanoprost treatment, the mean concentration of latanoprost acid (13,14-dihydro-17-phenyl trinor prostaglandin F2α) in aqueous samples was 29.1 nM at hour 1, 41.3 nM at hour 3 and 2.5 nM at hour 6. Acid metabolites were below the limit of quantitation in all samples taken 12 h after dosing and in all samples from placebo-treated patients. None of the samples from latanoprost-treated patients contained quantifiable levels of non-metabolised latanoprost. Non-metabolised bimatoprost was detected in aqueous samples at a mean concentration of 6.6 nM at hour 1 and 2.4 nM at hour 3 after bimatoprost treatment. Conclusions: Low levels of bimatoprost acid were detected in aqueous humour samples from patients with cataract treated with a single dose of bimatoprost. Latanoprost acid concentrations in samples from patients treated with latanoprost were at least sixfold higher. These results suggest that bimatoprost acid in the aqueous humour does not sufficiently account for the ocular hypotensive efficacy of bimatoprost.

Relationship of Cerebral Blood Flow and Central Visual Function in Primary Open-angle Glaucoma

PurposeTo investigate the relations between middle cerebral artery (MCA) blood flow velocities and central visual function measured by foveal cone electroretinograms (ERG) and visual field. MethodsFifteen primary open-angle glaucoma patients were recruited. The eye with the more severe visual field defect (full threshold 24-2) and/or optic disc damage was chosen. Measurements included brachial arterial pressure, heart rate, visual acuity (logMAR), contrast sensitivity (CSV-1000), central visual field (Humphrey SITA 10-2), foveal cone ERG, and transcranial Doppler. Pearson correlation coefficients were estimated to assess the strength of the linear relationship between the MCA flow velocity and the other measured parameters. ResultsVisual field was successfully completed in 12 eyes. We were unable to obtain ERG responses and MCA velocity readings for 1 patient. A significant correlation was observed between MCA mean flow velocity and focal cone ERG amplitude [r=0.69, n=13, confidence interval (CI) 0.22, 0.90, P=0.009], but correlation between mean foveal cone ERG implicit time and middle cerebral was not statistically significant (r=0.011, n=13, CI 0.47, 0.63). A significant correlation was also observed between MCA mean flow velocity and mean sensitivity (r=0.76, n=12, CI 0.32, 0.93, P=0.005), and mean defect (r=0.73, n=12, CI 0.28, 0.92, P=0.007) of the central visual field, logMAR visual acuity (r=0.57, n=14, CI 0.05, 0.84, P=0.036), and contrast sensitivity (r=0.61, n=13, CI 0.09, 0.87, P=0.027). ConclusionsOur findings suggest that in certain primary open-angle glaucoma patients diminished central visual function may be one manifestation of widespread cerebrovascular insufficiency.

Ocular penetration of levofloxacin, ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin in eyes with functioning filtering blebs : investigator masked, randomised clinical trial

Background/aims: To compare the penetration of levofloxacin, ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin in the aqueous humour of eyes with functioning filtering blebs. Methods: In this investigator-masked study, 48 patients with functioning filtering blebs requiring cataract surgery were randomised into six groups of eight patients. Groups 1, 2 and 3 received topical ofloxacin 0.3% (Ocuflox®), ciprofloxacin 0.3% (Ciloxan®) and levofloxacin (Quixin®) respectively; Groups 4, 5 and 6 received the same treatment with the corresponding oral dose of ofloxacin 400 mg (Floxin), ciprofloxacin 400 mg (Cipro) and levofloxacin 250 mg (Levaquin). Aqueous antibiotic levels were determined by mass spectrometry of aqueous samples from each patient. Results: The mean aqueous level for topical levofloxacin was significantly higher than those achieved by topical ofloxacin or ciprofloxacin (p value = 0.02 and 0.01, respectively). The combination of topical and oral levofloxacin was significantly higher than topical levofloxacin alone (p = 0.05) and the ciprofloxacin combination (p = 0.003) but not significantly higher than the ofloxacin combination therapy. Conclusions: Topical levofloxacin penetrates better than ofloxacin or ciprofloxacin into the aqueous of eyes with functioning filtering blebs. The combination of topical and oral levofloxacin may be preferable in the treatment of bleb-associated infections (NCT 00392275; Clinical trials.gov).