Anterior segment changes following intravitreal bevacizumab injection for treatment of neovascular glaucoma

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to describe anterior segment changes in a prospective, interventional, noncomparative case series of patients with neovascular glaucoma secondary to proliferative diabetic retinopathy treated with intravitreal bevacizumab.

METHODS

Five consecutive patients with neovascular glaucoma and a refractory, symptomatic elevation of intraocular pressure and pronounced anterior segment congestion received intravitreal bevacizumab 1.25 mg/0.05 mL. Follow-up examinations were performed at 4-16 weeks by the same specialists, with testing performed at hour 48, week 1, and months 1, 3, and 6 after intravitreal bevacizumab.

RESULTS

We observed a significant difference (P = 0.021) between initial and mean neovascularization at three months in all the quadrants. At three months, median intraocular pressure was 19 ± 5.38 (range 12-26) mmHg. In three of the five cases, diode laser cyclophotocoagulation was required, and in one case a trabeculectomy was performed. One patient showed complete synechial angle closure 48 hours after treatment which required cyclodestructive procedures to normalize intraocular pressure.

CONCLUSION

Intravitreal bevacizumab achieves complete regression of neovascularization in neovascular glaucoma secondary to proliferative diabetic retinopathy, and this regression is stable when associated with treatment of the underlying disease and should be investigated more thoroughly as an adjunct in the management of neovascular glaucoma.

Antimicrobial activity of propolis on oral microorganisms

Formation of dental caries is caused by the colonization and accumulation of oral microorganisms and extracellular polysaccharides that are synthesized from sucrose by glucosyltransferase of Streptococcus mutans. The production of glucosyltransferase from oral microorganisms was attempted, and it was found that Streptococcus mutans produced highest activity of the enzyme. Ethanolic extracts of propolis (EEP) were examined whether EEP inhibit the enzyme activity and growth of the bacteria or not. All EEP from various regions in Brazil inhibited both glucosyltransferase activity and growth of S. mutans, but one of the propolis from Rio Grande do Sul (RS2) demonstrated the highest inhibition of the enzyme activity and growth of the bacteria. It was also found that propolis (RS2) contained the highest concentrations of pinocembrin and galangin.

Chronic pseudophakic endophthalmitis versus saccular endophthalmitis

A retrospective survey of 1456 cataract operations done at one hospital from 1991 to 1994 found three cases of chronic pseudophakic endophthalmitis. In two of these cases and one referred from another center, microbiological studies from aqueous humor, capsular bag, and vitreous humor were performed using an identical technique. The histopathology in the three cases showed the presence of microorganisms in the capsular wall, although the cultures were only positive in one case (for corynebacterium species).

Primary amyloidosis presenting as renal infarction

We report a case of primary amyloidosis affecting the kidney and presenting as a renal infarction on computed tomography and ultrasound examination. To our knowledge, it is the first case in the radio-logical literature with these imaging characteristics.