Choroidal changes in pre-eclampsia during pregnancy and the postpartum period: comparison with healthy pregnancy

PURPOSE

To investigate subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) in patients with pre-eclampsia using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT).

METHODS

A sample of 73 pregnant women was studied over 28 weeks of gestation. The sample was divided into two groups: one comprising pre-eclamptic pregnant women (n=32), and the other comprising healthy pregnant women (n=41). The SFCT was determined for all patients using EDI-OCT during pregnancy and at the third month of the postpartum period.

RESULTS

The SFCTs in pre-eclamptic pregnant women were 351.97 ± 22.44 and 332.28 ± 20.32 µm during the pregnancy and postpartum periods (p<0.001), respectively, whereas these values in healthy pregnant women were 389.73 ± 49.64 and 329.78 ± 22.36 µm (p<0.001), respectively. During pregnancy SFCT in pre-eclamptic pregnant women was significantly thinner than that in healthy pregnant women (p<0.001). However, there was no statistically significant difference during the postpartum period (p=0.623).

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that SFCT is significantly decreased in pre-eclamptic pregnant women than in healthy pregnant women, despite no statistically significant difference in SFCT existing between the groups during the postpartum period.

The Effect of Age on Dexamethasone Intravitreal Implant (Ozurdex®) Response in Macular Edema Secondary to Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion

PURPOSE

To investigate the effect of age on dexamethasone intravitreal implant (Ozurdex®) response in macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).

METHODS

Seventy-three eyes of 73 patients with macular edema secondary to BRVO were recruited in the study. The patients in the study were divided into the following four groups according to their ages: group 1 (<60 years), group 2 (60-69 years), group 3 (70-79 years), and group 4 (≥80 years). Single-dose Ozurdex injection was applied to all patients. The effectiveness of Ozurdex treatment on macular edema is evaluated via optical coherence tomography (OCT) according to the age groups.

RESULTS

Two months after Ozurdex injection, mean reduction of central retinal thickness in groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 were -466.4 ± 149.6, -379.7 ± 238.7, -280.1 ± 233.0, and -180.5 ± 81.4 µm, respectively. This reduction of central retinal thickness decreased with aging (p = 0.001). Also, ages of patients were negatively correlated with the mean reduction of central retinal thickness for the whole study group (r = -0.439, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Our study revealed that the effectiveness of Ozurdex treatment decreases with aging.

The assessment of changes in macular thickness in diabetic and non-diabetic patients: the effect of topical ketorolac on macular thickness change after ND:YAG laser capsulotomy

PURPOSE

The purpose of our study is to assess the changes in macular thickness (MT) in diabetic and non-diabetic patients and to research effects of topical ketorolac (Acular®, Allergan, Irvine, CA) on MT change after neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser capsulotomy.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This study involved 88 eyes of 88 patients diagnosed as posterior capsule opacification (PCO). Patients were divided into four groups according to presence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and drugs used after capsulotomy. Group 1: Patients with DM using only 0.1% Fluorometholon (FML®, Allergan, Irvine, CA) after capsulotomy (22 patients). Group 2: Patients with DM using 0.5% ketorolac (Acular®) and 0.1 Fluorometholon (FML®, Allergan, Irvine, CA) after capsulotomy (20 patients). Group 3: Patients without DM using only 0.1% Fluorometholon (FML®, Allergan, Irvine, CA) (22 patients). Group 4: Patients without DM using 0.5% ketorolac (Acular®) and 0.1% Fluorometholon (FML®, Allergan, Irvine, CA) (24 patients). A plus-shaped capsulotomy was performed using VISULAS® YAGIII (Carl Zeiss) laser microscope. MT measurement with Cirrus SD-OCT (Carl Zeiss Opthalmic System Inc., Model 400, Dublin, CA, Software 5) were done. Measurements were done before laser, and on the first day, first week, first month, third month and sixth month after laser capsulotomy. We compared the four groups for MT change during 6 months.

RESULTS

Group 1 involving patients with DM using only 0.1% Fluorometholon (FML®, Allergan, Irvine, CA) after capsulotomy had increased MT at the first week, and the first, third, and sixth month after laser (p < 0.001). Group 3 involving patients without DM using only 0.1% Fluorometholon (FML®, Allergan, Irvine, CA) had increased MT at the first week, and at the first and third month, there was no statistically significant difference at the sixth month (p > 0.05). There was no statistically significant increase in MT during the follow-up period in group 2 involving patients with DM using 0.5% ketorolac (Acular®) and 0.1 Fluorometholon (FML®, Allergan, Irvine, CA) after capsulotomy and group 4 involving patients without DM using 0.5% ketorolac (Acular®) and 0.1% Fluorometholon (FML®, Allergan, Irvine, CA) (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

An increase in MT can be observed after Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy, especially in diabetic patients. Adding topical ketorolac (Acular®, Allergan, Irvine, CA) to topical Fluorometholon (FML®, Allergan, Irvine, CA) therapy after YAG laser capsulotomy can prevent this increase.