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Gomez-Lumbreras A, Ghule P, Panchal R, Giannouchos T, Lockhart CM, Brixner D. Real-world evidence in the use of Bevacizumab in age-related macular degeneration (ArMD): a scoping review. Int Ophthalmol 2023; 43:4527-4539. [PMID: 37606820 DOI: 10.1007/s10792-023-02853-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Pharmacological treatments for age-related macular degeneration (ArMD) include anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapies. Bevacizumab is used off-label, as it has no indication for ArMD. This study aims to identify and describe literature on real-world evidence of bevacizumab (originator or biosimilars) use in ArMD. METHODS A scoping review was conducted in Medline, CINAHL and Embase databases. Studies published in English after September 2017, conducted in USA, including adults (≥ 18 years old) with ArMD who received treatment with bevacizumab for ArMD were included. The review was further limited to peer-reviewed observational studies that quantitatively analyze either clinical or patient-reported outcomes among patients treated with bevacizumab for ArMD. RESULTS The search strategy retrieved 543 studies. After title and abstract screening, a total of 142 studies were selected for full-text review leading to a total of 12 studies qualifying for data charting. All were retrospective studies. Five (41.6%) of the studies had less than 500 eyes included in the analysis, and the rest had over a thousand eyes. All except one study reported clinical outcomes (visual acuity was the main outcome in 8 (66.6%) studies). There were 3 (25%) studies reporting adverse events of bevacizumab intravitreal injections. None of the studies specified using biosimilars for bevacizumab and none mentioned patient-reported outcomes. CONCLUSION The lack of studies aiming to study the patient-reported outcomes as well as the use of biosimilars of bevacizumab in ArMD makes this field a potential for future research. The different exposures and times to follow-up make it difficult to compare results among the selected studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ainhoa Gomez-Lumbreras
- Department of Pharmacotherapy, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, 30S 2000E, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA.
| | - Priyanka Ghule
- Department of Pharmacotherapy, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, 30S 2000E, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
| | - Rupesh Panchal
- Department of Pharmacotherapy, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, 30S 2000E, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
- University of Utah Health Plans, Murray, UT, USA
- ZS, 2535 West Hillcrest Drive Suite 100, Thousand Oaks, CA, 91320, USA
| | - Theodoros Giannouchos
- Department of Pharmacotherapy, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, 30S 2000E, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
- Department of Health Policy and Organization, School of Public Health, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35233, USA
| | - Catherine M Lockhart
- Biologics and Biosimilars Collective Intelligence Consortium, Alexandria, VA, USA
| | - Diana Brixner
- Department of Pharmacotherapy, College of Pharmacy, University of Utah, 30S 2000E, Salt Lake City, UT, 84112, USA
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Weng CY, Singh RP, Gillies MC, Regillo CD. Optimizing Visual Outcomes in Patients With Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: the Potential Value of Sustained Anti-VEGF Therapy. Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina 2023; 54:654-659. [PMID: 37956321 DOI: 10.3928/23258160-20231016-01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) leads to irreversible central vision loss if untreated. Frequent administration of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injections inhibits disease activity with excellent functional and morphological benefits. However, these injections pose a heavy therapeutic burden, and treatment discontinuation is common. Although current anti-VEGF treatment paradigms, such as treat-and-extend, mitigate treatment burden while still leading to acceptable vision outcomes, they fail to sustain initial vision gains for many. Novel longer-acting anti-VEGF therapies may reduce the overall burden on nAMD patients. Gene therapy might offer a paradigm shift by providing continuous expression of anti-VEGF, potentially decreasing treatment requirements and improving long-term vision outcomes. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina 2023;54:654-659.].
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Shen D, Huang W, Wei S, Zhu Y, Shi B. The impact of Teach-back method on preoperative anxiety and surgical cooperation in elderly patients undergoing outpatient ophthalmology surgery: A randomized clinical trial. Medicine (Baltimore) 2023; 102:e32931. [PMID: 36827029 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000032931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The literatures have demonstrated that Teach-back method is an effective communication tool to understand health education, especially in the elderly patients. However, there is limited research of Teach-back method in preoperative education for outpatient surgical patients. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of the Teach-back method on preoperative anxiety and surgical cooperation in elderly patients undergoing outpatient ophthalmology surgery. METHODS One hundred sixteen elderly patients who underwent outpatient ophthalmology surgery were selected as the research objects. They were divided into the observation group (58 cases) and the control group (58 cases). The Teach-back preoperative education was adopted in the observation group and the standard preoperative education method was adopted in the control group. The degree of anxiety, surgical cooperation, and awareness of health knowledge were compared between the 2 groups, and the variations of blood pressure and heart rate, as well as the highest values of intraoperative blood pressure and heart rate before and after method, were recorded and compared. RESULTS The preoperative systolic blood pressure in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group. The intraoperative (the highest value) heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure in the observation group were lower than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P < .05). After intervention, the anxiety score and information demand score of the observation group were lower than those of the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P < .05). The degree of surgery cooperation and awareness of perioperative health knowledge in the observation group were all higher than those in the control group; the differences were statistically significant (P < .05). CONCLUSION The Teach-back method could relieve the preoperative anxiety of the patients, improve the quality of patients surgery cooperation, and facilitate the awareness of health knowledge. Moreover, it could effectively improve the intraoperative stress response of the elderly patients and reduce the large fluctuations of blood pressure and heart rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Shen
- School of Nursing, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Weiyi Huang
- Outpatient Operating Room, Tianjin Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Shujin Wei
- Outpatient Operating Room, Tianjin Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yanjun Zhu
- Outpatient Operating Room, Tianjin Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Baoxin Shi
- School of Nursing, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
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Laser-Induced Porcine Model of Experimental Retinal Vein Occlusion: An Optimized Reproducible Approach. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2023; 59:medicina59020243. [PMID: 36837445 PMCID: PMC9962108 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59020243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is a frequent visually disabling condition. The management of RVO continues to challenge clinicians. Macular edema secondary to RVO is often recurrent, and patients typically require intravitreal injections for several years. Understanding molecular mechanisms in RVO is a key element in improving the treatment of the condition. Studying the molecular mechanisms in RVO at the retinal level is possible using animal models of experimental RVO. Most studies of experimental RVO have been sporadic, using only a few animals per experiment. Here, we report on 10 years of experience of the use of argon laser-induced experimental RVO in 108 porcine eyes from 65 animals, including 65 eyes with experimental branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) and 43 eyes with experimental central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). Reproducibility and methods for evaluating and controlling ischemia in experimental RVO are reviewed. Methods for studying protein changes in RVO are discussed in detail, including proteomic analysis, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. Experimental RVO has brought significant insights into molecular changes in RVO. Testing intravitreal interventions in experimental RVO may be a significant step in developing personalized therapeutic approaches for patients with RVO.
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Wang R, McClard CK, Laswell S, Mahmoudzadeh R, Salabati M, Ammar M, Vannavong J, Aziz AA, Ewald A, Calvanese AV, Lehman EB, Fried S, Windham V, Strutt A, Saroj N, Khanani AM, Eichenbaum DA, Regillo C, Wykoff CC. Quantifying burden of intravitreal injections: questionnaire assessment of life impact of treatment by intravitreal injections (QUALITII). BMJ Open Ophthalmol 2022; 7:bmjophth-2022-001188. [PMID: 36794741 PMCID: PMC9764643 DOI: 10.1136/bmjophth-2022-001188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM To quantify the areas of burden experienced by patients requiring repeated intravitreal injections (IVI) in the management of exudative retinal diseases. METHODS The validated Questionnaire to Assess Life Impact of Treatment by Intravitreal Injections survey was administered to patients at four retina clinical practices across four US states. The primary outcome measure was Treatment Burden Score (TBS), a single score assessing overall burden. RESULTS Of 1416 (n=657 age-related macular degeneration; n=360 diabetic macular oedema/diabetic retinopathy; n=221 retinal vein occlusion; n=178 other/uncertain) patients, 55% were women with an average age of 70 years. Patients most frequently reported receiving IVI every 4-5 weeks (40%). The mean TBS was 16.1±9.2 (range 1-48; scale of 1-54), and the TBS was higher in patients with diabetic macular oedema and/or diabetic retinopathy (DMO/DR) (17.1) compared with those with age-related macular degeneration (15.5) or retinal venous occlusive (15.3) (p=0.028). Though the mean level of discomfort was quite low (1.86) (scale 0-6), 50% of patients reported experiencing side effects more than half of the visits. Patients having received fewer than 5 IVI reported higher mean anxiety levels before (p=0.026), during (p=0.050) and after (p=0.016) treatment compared with patients having received more than 50 IVI. After the procedure, 42% of patients reported restrictions from usual activities due to discomfort. Patients reported a high mean satisfaction rating of 5.46 (scale 0-6) with the care of their diseases. CONCLUSIONS The mean TBS was moderate and highest among patients with DMO/DR. Patients with more total injections reported lower levels of discomfort and anxiety but higher disruption to daily life. Despite the challenges related to IVI, the overall satisfaction with treatment remained high.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Wang
- Ophthalmology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Cynthia K McClard
- Ophthalmology, Dean McGee Eye Institute, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA,The University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
| | | | - Raziyeh Mahmoudzadeh
- Mid Atlantic Retina Service, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Mirataollah Salabati
- Mid Atlantic Retina Service, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Michael Ammar
- Mid Atlantic Retina Service, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Aamir A Aziz
- University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine, Reno, Nevada, USA
| | - Amy Ewald
- Retina Vitreous Associates of Florida, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA
| | | | - Erik B Lehman
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State Health Milton S Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Sagit Fried
- Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | | | - Adriana Strutt
- Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | - Arshad Mohammad Khanani
- Sierra Eye Associates, Reno, Nevada, USA,University of Nevada Reno School of Medicine, Reno, Nevada, USA
| | - David A Eichenbaum
- Retina Vitreous Associates of Florida, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA,Ophthalmology, Morsani College of Medicine at the University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Carl Regillo
- Mid Atlantic Retina Service, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Charles Clifton Wykoff
- Retina Consultants of Texas, Houston, Texas, USA .,Blanton Eye Institute, Houston, Texas, USA
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Chawla R, Bhattacharyya J, Moksha L, Phour A, Velpandian T, Kashyap S, Kalyanasundaram D. A novel, minimally invasive implant to assist in repeated intraocular drug delivery. Biomed Microdevices 2022; 24:17. [PMID: 35587289 DOI: 10.1007/s10544-022-00618-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The standard of care for posterior segment disorders such as wet age-related macular degeneration, diabetic macular oedema and retinal vascular occlusions is pharmacotherapy by intravitreal drug delivery. Since the therapeutic effect of these drugs lasts only around 4 to 8 weeks, repeated intravitreal injections are required. Pain is experienced by the patients during injection as the needle courses through the sclera and choroid. The current work describes the design and development of a novel anodized titanium alloy implant that allows for intravitreal injections through the implant so that the needle transverses only the conjunctiva, thus minimizing discomfort to the patient. Both ex-vivo testing of the implant in enucleated goat's eye as well as in-vivo validation in rabbit eyes was carried out. The implant was placed through pars plana via a minor surgical procedure and was sutured to the sclera and covered with conjunctiva. Subsequent intravitreal injections were administered under topical anaesthesia with a 30-gauge needle through the implant thus delivering the drug into the vitreous cavity. Repeated intravitreal injections were administered every 2 weeks via the implant for 3 months in 4 rabbits. Apart from cataract in 1 rabbit, no complications were observed. There was no evidence of intra-ocular inflammation or infection at final follow-up. Histopathological analysis did not reveal any inflammation or necrosis around the area of implant. The implants were subsequently removed at 5 months and scleral wound was closed with a single suture. The sclera and overlying conjunctiva healed well and no intraocular complications were observed after removal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohan Chawla
- Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, 110029, New Delhi, India
| | - Jayanta Bhattacharyya
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, 110016, New Delhi, India.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, 110029, New Delhi, India
| | - Laxmi Moksha
- Department of Ocular Pharmacology, Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, 110029, New Delhi, India
| | - Anjali Phour
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, 110016, New Delhi, India
| | - Thirumurthy Velpandian
- Department of Ocular Pharmacology, Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, 110029, New Delhi, India
| | - Seema Kashyap
- Department of Ocular Pathology, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, 110029, New Delhi, India
| | - Dinesh Kalyanasundaram
- Center for Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, 110016, New Delhi, India. .,Department of Biomedical Engineering, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, 110029, New Delhi, India.
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Chao DL, Rinella NT, Khanani AM, Wykoff CC, Kim GH. Cooling Anesthesia for Intravitreal Injection: Results of the Prospective Open-Label, Dose-Ranging COOL-1 Trial. Clin Ophthalmol 2021; 15:4659-4666. [PMID: 34916777 PMCID: PMC8670887 DOI: 10.2147/opth.s336653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a novel medical device to provide cooling anesthesia to the eye as local anesthesia for intravitreal injections. Study Design First in human, open-label study of 43 subjects assessed at three different doses: −10°C for 20 seconds (group 1), −15°C for 15 seconds (group 2), and −15°C for 20 seconds (group 3). Main outcome measures were safety and pain of injection using a numeric rating scale (NRS). Results Cooling anesthesia did not result in any serious ocular adverse events. One grade 1 adverse event was a vasovagal response during cooling administration which resolved immediately after cooling. Mean NRS scores at the time of injection for each group ranged from 2.5 to 4.3 There was a statistically significant difference between pain scores of the 3 groups at injection in aggregate but not in pairwise comparisons (P value = 0.047). There was a statistically significant decrease in pain from injection to 5 minutes post injection in all groups (P value = 0.00008, 0.003, 0.0005 for groups 1, 2, 3, respectively) as well as from 5 minutes to 24–48 hours (P value = 0.00001, 0.018, and 0.0545 for groups 1, 2, 3, respectively). Conclusion The rapid cooling anesthesia device was well tolerated for achieving local anesthesia among patients receiving intravitreal injections with no serious ocular adverse events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel L Chao
- Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Nicolas T Rinella
- Viterbi Family Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Arshad M Khanani
- Sierra Eye Associates and University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, Reno, NV, USA
| | - Charles C Wykoff
- Retina Consultants of Texas, Retina Consultants of America; Blanton Eye Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital & Weill Cornell Medical College, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Gun-Ho Kim
- RecensMedical, Ulsan, Korea.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan, Korea
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Brosh K, Roditi E, Wasser LM, Aryan A, Hanhart J, Potter MJ. Effect of Music Selection on Anxiety Level during Intravitreal Injections for Individuals of Varying Cultures. Ophthalmic Epidemiol 2021; 29:582-587. [PMID: 34293998 DOI: 10.1080/09286586.2021.1955390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Purpose: To investigate music selection as a treatment for anxiety during Intravitreal injections (IVI) for individuals of varying cultures.Methods: 106 individuals were enrolled in this randomized controlled study. Individuals were randomized into one to three categories: (1) a control group in which the IVI procedure was performed without music (n = 35), (2) an experimental group in which the music was selected by the physician (n = 36), (3) an experimental group in which the music was selected by the patient (n = 35). After the procedure, all patients responded to a questionnaire regarding their level of experienced anxiety, pain and discomfort (grade 0-10). The primary outcome was anxiety level during the procedure.Results: The experimental group in which patients selected music had higher number of patients with low anxiety score compared to the other groups (anxiety score <4 in 19,18 and 27 patients, respectively, p = .04). Interestingly, patients who answered the questionnaire in Arabic were less likely to desire music on subsequent injections compared to Hebrew and English speakers (52% Vs 78% Vs 100%, p = .02). Music was deemed by both experimental groups as an effective method to induce relaxation (average score of 6.6 and 7.2 in group 2 and 3, respectively). Preference for music on subsequent injections was increased in both experimental groups compared to the control group (P < .01). Patients in the third group preferred music selection on future injections more than the other groups (P < .01).Conclusion: Music selection may be an effective way to reduce anxiety levels during IVI. Preference for music during future injections is higher in patients who were exposed to music during IVI and may be influenced by culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koby Brosh
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center Affiliated with the Hebrew University - Hadassah School of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Eduardo Roditi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center Affiliated with the Hebrew University - Hadassah School of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Lauren M Wasser
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center Affiliated with the Hebrew University - Hadassah School of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Ahmad Aryan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center Affiliated with the Hebrew University - Hadassah School of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Joel Hanhart
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center Affiliated with the Hebrew University - Hadassah School of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Michael J Potter
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shaare Zedek Medical Center Affiliated with the Hebrew University - Hadassah School of Medicine, Jerusalem, Israel
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Intravitreal air bubbles following intravitreal injections: a comprehensive analysis. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 2021; 259:3697-3702. [PMID: 34258656 DOI: 10.1007/s00417-021-05302-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To evaluate the prevalence of residual air bubbles following intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF agents, and to compare two techniques designed to reduce their occurrence. METHODS Patients who received intravitreal injections reported the presence of air bubbles following the procedure, and were followed to determine when they disappeared. Two techniques used to reduce air bubbles prior to injection were compared-tapping the syringe with the needle up ("upwards" technique) or down ("downwards" technique). Rates of residual air bubbles were compared between techniques, and between different drugs. RESULTS The study included 344 intravitreal injections, 172 injected with each technique. The overall rate of residual air bubbles was 11.3%, with 94.9% resolution by 48 h. The rate was significantly lower with the "downwards" technique (7.5% vs. 15.1%, p = 0.027). It was also significantly lower with ranibizumab injected using pre-filled syringes than with bevacizumab and aflibercept (0% vs. 12.1% and 14.7%, p < 0.0001). A questionnaire revealed patients reported medium levels of discomfort and a high importance of avoiding air bubbles. CONCLUSIONS Residual air bubbles are a common occurrence, likely to be experienced by most patients undergoing repeated injections. This phenomenon may be significantly reduced by using the described "downwards" technique, or pre-filled syringes.
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Evaluation of Anxiety Levels in Patients Undergoing Intravitreal Injections and Associated Risk Factors Related to the Disease. J Ophthalmol 2020; 2020:4375390. [PMID: 33145102 PMCID: PMC7596427 DOI: 10.1155/2020/4375390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose To analyze patients' anxiety levels using the Visual Analog Scale for Anxiety (VASA), in regard to intravitreal injection treatment and to determine possible associated risk factors related to the disease and treatment characteristics. Methods Cross-sectional observational study with consecutive sampling of patients who were going to receive an intravitreal injection. Subjects completed the VASA prior to the procedure, and afterwards, their data were collected from the electronic medical history. Analysis was performed through a linear regression model. Results Fifty-five men and forty-seven women were enrolled. The mean age was 73.9 ± 12.4 years (mean ± standard deviation (SD)), and the mean ± SD of previous injections was 12.8 ± 12. The most frequent pathologies found were age-related macular degeneration with 46.1% and diabetic macular edema with 36.3%. The median of anxiety levels measured in millimeters (mm) was 16 (interquartile range: 0–48). In univariate models, women presented a mean of 10.8 mm of anxiety more than men (p=0.03). The adjusted multivariate analysis demonstrated that younger patients declared higher anxiety levels (p=0.036). No significant association was found between the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) on the day of the injection, the change in BCVA since the beginning of the treatment or the number of injections received, and the registered anxiety levels. Conclusions Sex and age may have an influence on anxiety levels. BCVA and the number ofinjections received did not seem to have an influence on our patients anxiety levels.
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