RESUMEN
AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of combined anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents, oral glucocorticoid, and laser photocoagulation therapy for macular edema (ME) secondary to retinal vein occlusion (RVO). METHODS: This study included 16 eyes of 16 patients with RVO-associated ME. Patients were initially treated with oral prednisone and an intravitreal anti-VEGF agent. Two weeks later, patients underwent standard laser photocoagulation. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central retinal thickness (CRT), and retinal vessel oxygenation were examined over 12mo. RESULTS: Patients received 1.43±0.81 anti-VEGF injections. Mean baseline and 12-month logMAR BCVA were 0.96±0.51 (20/178) and 0.31±0.88 (20/40), respectively, in eyes with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) (P<0.00), and 1.02±0.45 (20/209) and 0.60±0.49 (20/80), respectively, in eyes with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) (P<0.00). At 12mo, CRT had significantly decreased in eyes with CRVO (P<0.00) and BRVO (P<0.00). Venous oxygen saturation had significantly increased in eyes with CRVO (P<0.00) and BRVO (P<0.00). No examined parameters were significantly different between the 2 RVO groups. No serious adverse effects occurred. CONCLUSION: Anti-VEGF, glucocorticoid, and photocoagulation combination therapy improves visual outcome, prolongs therapeutic effect, and reduces the number of intravitreal injections in eyes with RVO-associated ME.
RESUMEN
AIM: To explore how oxygen saturation in retinal blood vessels is altered in ischemic and non-ischemic branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). METHODS: Fifty BRVO eyes were divided into ischemic (n=26) and non-ischemic (n=24) groups, based on fundus fluorescein angiography. Healthy individuals (n=52 and n=48, respectively) were also recruited as controls for the two groups. The mean oxygen saturations of the occluded vessels and central vessels were measured by oximetry in the BRVO and control groups. RESULTS: In the ischemic BRVO group, the occluded arterioles oxygen saturation (SaO2-A, 106.0%±14.3%), instead of the occluded venule oxygen saturation (SaO2-V, 60.8%±9.4%), showed increases when compared with those in the same quadrant vessels (SaO2-A, 86.1%±16.5%) in the contralateral eyes (P<0.05). The oxygen saturations of the central vessels showed similar trends with those of the occluded vessels. In the non-ischemic BRVO group, the occluded and central SaO2-V and SaO2-A showed no significant changes. In both the ischemic and non-ischemic BRVOs, the central SaO2-A was significantly increased when compared to healthy individuals. CONCLUSION: Obvious changes in the occluded and central SaO2-A were found in the ischemic BRVO group, indicating that disorders of oxygen metabolism in the arterioles may participate in the pathogenesis of ischemic BRVO.