Visual Outcomes in Eyes With Neovascular Glaucoma and Anterior Segment Neovascularization Without Glaucoma

Racial and Ethnic Differences in the Prevalence and Treatment Patterns for Neovascular Glaucoma in the American Academy of Ophthalmology IRIS® Registry

PURPOSE

To examine racial and ethnic differences in the prevalence and treatment patterns for neovascular glaucoma (NVG) in at-risk individuals in the American Academy of Ophthalmology (Academy) IRIS® Registry (Intelligent Research in Sight).

DESIGN

Observational retrospective cohort study.

PARTICIPANTS

Eyes in the IRIS Registry with a retinal ischemia based on a history of proliferative diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusion, and/or ocular ischemic syndrome.

METHODS

Race and ethnicity was defined as Asian, Black, Hispanic/Latino, non-Hispanic White, and other/unknown. In eyes with retinal ischemia, the outcome was NVG. In eyes with NVG, outcomes included treatment of retinal ischemia with pan-retinal photocoagulation (PRP), and surgery to lower intraocular pressure (IOP) with trabeculectomy, tube shunt, and cyclophotocoagulation (CPC). Covariates included age, sex, region of residence, insurance type, smoking status, and systemic and ocular comorbidities. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to examine adjusted associations between race and ethnicity and NVG and each type of NVG treatment.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Incidence of NVG, PRP, trabeculectomy, tube shunt, CPC, and any IOP-lowering surgery.

RESULTS

Of 312 106 eyes with retinal ischemia, there were 5885 (1.9%) with NVG. Compared to eyes of individuals who identified as non-Hispanic White, eyes of individuals who were Black and Hispanic/Latino had higher hazards of NVG in adjusted analyses (hazards ratio [HR] = 1.28, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.15-1.43 [for Black]; HR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.17-1.47 [for Hispanic/Latino]). Compared with eyes of individuals who were non-Hispanic White, there was higher hazards of trabeculectomy in eyes of individuals who were Hispanic/Latino (adjusted HR = 1.91, 95% CI = 1.08-3.39) and higher hazards of tube shunt (adjusted HR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.07-1.69) and of any IOP-lowering surgery (adjusted HR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.09-1.53) in eyes of individuals who were Black. There were no statistically significant differences in the hazards of PRP or CPC.

CONCLUSIONS

Eyes of Black and Hispanic/Latino individuals with retinal ischemia in the IRIS Registry had higher likelihood of NVG and of IOP-lowering surgery for NVG. Further study is needed to examine the medical and social factors that preclude optimal management of diabetic eye disease, in order to prevent its blinding complications.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES

Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C and D Signaling Pathways as Potential Targets for the Treatment of Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Narrative Review

The development of treatments targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling pathways have traditionally been firstly investigated in oncology and then advanced into retinal disease indications. Members of the VEGF family of endogenous ligands and their respective receptors play a central role in vasculogenesis and angiogenesis during both development and physiological homeostasis. They can also play a pathogenic role in cancer and retinal diseases. Therapeutic approaches have mostly focused on targeting VEGF-A signaling; however, research has shown that VEGF-C and VEGF-D signaling pathways are also important to the disease pathogenesis of tumors and retinal diseases. This review highlights the important therapeutic advances and the remaining unmet need for improved therapies targeting additional mechanisms beyond VEGF-A. Additionally, it provides an overview of alternative VEGF-C and VEGF-D signaling involvement in both health and disease, highlighting their key contributions in the multifactorial pathophysiology of retinal disease including neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Strategies for targeting VEGF-C/-D signaling pathways will also be reviewed, with an emphasis on agents currently being developed for the treatment of nAMD.

Surgical outcomes including visual improvement after glaucoma surgery in patients with neovascular glaucoma

Purpose

This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic factors affecting surgical outcomes, including visual acuity (VA) improvement, after glaucoma surgery in patients with neovascular glaucoma (NVG).

Methods

The medical records of 116 patients (116 eyes) with NVG who had undergone trabeculectomy or Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation were reviewed retrospectively. The primary outcome measure was surgical success at 6 postoperative months, defined as sufficient intraocular pressure (IOP) reduction (IOP ≤21 mmHg, ≥20% reduction, regardless of topical medication use) without additional glaucoma surgery, hypotony, or progression to no light perception. Success was categorized as complete or qualified based on whether an improvement in VA was observed in addition to the abovementioned definition.

Results

The complete and qualified success rates at 6 months were 44.6% and 92.2%, respectively. Age (p = 0.001), preoperative best-corrected VA (p = 0.031), duration of decreased VA (p = 0.001), closed-angle status (p = 0.013), and etiology (p = 0.007) differed significantly between the groups with and without complete success. Multivariate analysis revealed that age (odds ratio [OR] 1.05; p = 0.026), duration of decreased VA (OR 1.05; p = 0.016), and 360° closed-angle status (OR 3.27; p = 0.031) were risk factors for surgical failure according to the complete success criteria, but not the qualified success criteria.

Conclusions

Patients with NVG showed improved visual prognosis and successful IOP reduction after glaucoma surgery at a relatively younger age if the duration of visual loss was not prolonged and the angle status was not completely closed.

RISK FACTORS FOR SURGERY OR BLINDNESS IN NEOVASCULAR GLAUCOMA EYES TREATED WITH ANTI-VEGF INJECTIONS BY A RETINA SPECIALIST

PURPOSE

To determine baseline patient characteristics that predict the need for glaucoma surgery or blindness in eyes with neovascular glaucoma (NVG) despite intravitreal antivascular endothelial growth factor therapy.

METHODS

This is a retrospective cohort study of patients with NVG who had not previously received glaucoma surgery and were treated with intravitreal antivascular endothelial growth factor injections at the time of diagnosis, from September 8, 2011, to May 8, 2020, at a large, retina subspecialty practice.

RESULTS

Of 301 newly presenting NVG eyes, 31% required glaucoma surgery and 20% progressed to no light perception vision despite treatment. Patients with intraocular pressure >35 mmHg ( P < 0.001), two or more topical glaucoma medications ( P = 0.003), worse than 20/100 vision ( P = 0.024), proliferative diabetic retinopathy ( P = 0.001), eye pain or discomfort ( P = 0.010), and new patient status ( P = 0.015) at the time of NVG diagnosis were at a higher risk of glaucoma surgery or blindness regardless of antivascular endothelial growth factor therapy. The effect of panretinal photocoagulation was not statistically significant in a subgroup analysis of patients without media opacity ( P = 0.199).

CONCLUSION

Several baseline characteristics at the time of presentation to a retina specialist with NVG seem to portend a higher risk of uncontrolled glaucoma despite the use of antivascular endothelial growth factor therapy. Prompt referral of these patients to a glaucoma specialist should be strongly considered.

ZD6474 attenuates TGF-β1-induced fibrosis in human Tenon fibroblasts and inhibits neovascularization via AKT-mTOR signaling pathway

PURPOSE

To investigate the anti-fibrotic effect of ZD6474 (a novel inhibitor of VEGF and EGF) in TGF-β1 stimulated human Tenon's capsule fibroblasts (HTFs) and the anti-angiogenetic role in HUVECs, compared to that of mitomycin C (MMC).

METHODS

The effects of ZD6474 on cell proliferation or migration in TGF-β1-stimulated HTFs and HUVECs were determined, using CCK8 or wound healing assay, respectively. The typical markers of fibrosis in TGF-β1-stimuated HTFs were detected, vimentin by immunofluorescence, α-SMA and snail by western blot. Tube formation was applied to validate the anti-angiogenesis effect in HUVECs following ZD6474 treatment. Furthermore, phosphorylated AKT and mTOR (p-AKT and p-mTOR) were evaluated, compared to the standardized total AKT and mTOR, using western blot.

RESULTS

There was almost no decreased cell viability in HTFs following ZD6474 (≤ 1 μM/mL) treatment, but MMC (> 50 μg/mL) significantly impaired cell viability. ZD6474 significantly inhibited TGF-β1-stimulated proliferation and migration in HTFs, compared to control group (**P < 0.01). ZD6474 also significantly attenuated the TGF-β1-stimulated expression of vimentin, α-SMA and snail in HTFs. Tube formation was notably interrupted in HUVECs following ZD6474 treatment (**P < 0.01). P-AKT and p-mTOR were significantly decreased in response to ZD6474 treatment in TGF-β1- induced HTFs and HUVECs.

CONCLUSIONS

ZD6474 exerts anti-proliferation and anti-fibrotic effects in TGF-β1-stimulated HTFs perhaps via regulating AKT-mTOR signaling pathway. ZD6474 also inhibited proliferation, migration and tube formation in HUVECs via the same signaling pathway. We concluded that ZD6474 may be potentially a novel agent in preventing bleb dysfunction following glaucoma filtration surgery (GFS).

Review: The Development of Risk Factors and Cytokines in Retinal Vein Occlusion

Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is the second most prevalent retinal disease. Despite this, the pathogenic mechanisms and risk factors are not entirely clear. In this article, we review recent publications on the classification, pathogenesis, risk factors, ischemic changes, cytokines, and vital complications of RVO. Risk factors and cytokines are important for exploring the mechanisms and new treatment targets. Furthermore, risk factors are interrelated, making RVO mechanisms more complex. Cytokines act as powerful mediators of pathological conditions, such as inflammation, neovascularization, and macular edema. This review aims to summarize the updated knowledge on risk factors, cytokines of RVO and signaling in order to provide valuable insight on managing the disease.