ObjectiveTo observe the changes of macular microvascular structure in eyes with macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO-ME) after intravitreal injection of conbercept and analyze its relationship with visual function and central retinal thickness (CRT).MethodsA prospective clinical study. From July 2018 to June 2019, 21 eyes of 21 patients with unilateral temporal BRVO-ME diagnosed in the Department of Ophthalmology of Peking Union Medical College Hospital were included in the study. Among them, there were 14 eyes of 14 males and 7 eyes of 7 females; the average age was 58.0±8.3 years. There were 13 eyes and 8 eyes with occlusion of the superior temporal and inferior temporal branches of the retinal vein, respectively. The affected area was defined as the side of the venous obstruction. All the affected eyes underwent best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) examination. The BCVA was tested using the international standard logarithmic visual acuity chart, which was converted into the logarithmic minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) visual acuity during statistical analysis. All the eyes were treated with intravitreal injection of conbercept once a month for 3 months, and then treated as needed. A 3 mm × 3 mm scan centered on fovea was obtained and the vascular density of superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP), fovea avascular zone (FAZ) area, perimeter of FAZ (PERIM), acircularity index (AI), foveal vascular density in a 300 μm wide region around FAZ (FD-300) and central retinal thickness (CRT) were measured. The follow-up time after treatment was 6 months. The vascular density and FAZ parameters were compared before and after treatment by paired t test. The correlations of BCVA, CRT and vascular density, FAZ area and the other parameters at 6 months after treatment were analyzed by linear regression analysis. ResultsBefore treatment, the logMAR BCVA of the eyes was 0.506±0.159, and the CRT was 375.4±81.3 μm; 6 months after treatment, the logMAR BCVA of the eyes was 0.294±0.097, and the CRT was 266.3±46.7 μm. There was a statistically significant difference of logMAR BCVA and CRT between the eyes before and after treatment (t=8.503, 9.843; P＜0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the overall vascular density of SCP and DCP before and 6 months after treatment (t=－0.091, －0.320; P＞0.05). The foveal vascular density decreased, and the difference was statistically significant (t=8.801, 3.936; P＜0.05). The vascular density of DCP of the affected area increased, and the difference was statistically significant (t=－2.198, P＜0.05). Compared with those before treatment, the FAZ area and PERIM of the affected eyes had an increasing trend, while AI and FD-300 had a decreasing trend, and the differences were statistically significant (t=－18.071, －12.835, 2.555, 8.610; P＜0.05). The linear regression analysis showed that BCVA and FAZ area 6 months after treatment have significant correlation (t=2.532, P=0.024). ConclusionCRT decreased and BCVA increased after intravitreal injection of conbercept in BRVO-ME eyes. After treatment, the foveal vascular density of SCP and DCP decreased while the vascular density of DCP of the affected area increased. The FAZ increased and the PERIM and AI decreased during follow-up. The BCVA was significantly correlated with the FAZ area 6 months after treatment.
Objective To analyze the results of diagnostic pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) in patients with uveitis of unknown cause. Methods This is a retrospective case series study. Sixty-five patients (67 eyes) with uveitis of unknown cause were enrolled in this study. There were 31 males (32 eyes) and 34 females (35 eyes). The ages were from 6 to 84 years, with the mean age of (55.00±18.56) years. All eyes were received PPV. Examination of vitreous samples consisted of microbial stains and culture, microbial DNA and antibody detection, cytokine measurement, cytology, flow cytometry and gene rearrangement detection. Results Vitreous analysis was positive in 40 of 67 eyes (59.7%). Positive results indicated bacterial endophthalmitis in 20 of 40 eyes (50.0%), lymphoma in 11 eyes (27.5%), viral IgM and IgG increased significantly in 3 eyes (7.5%), fungal endophthalmitis in 3 eyes (7.5%), IgG of toxocara increased significantly in 2 eyes (5.0%), IgG of toxoplasma Gondii increased significantly in 1 eye (2.5%). Conclusion The diagnostic yield of vitreous samples in uveitis eyes of unknown cause is 59.7%.
Objective To explore the feasibility and effect of remote medical education model using online film reading training to improve the ability of ophthalmologists in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (hereinafter referred to as “Xinjiang Region”) in diagnosing fundus diseases. MethodsThe three-level film reading training system of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps system division hospital-Corps Hospital-Peking Union Medical College Hospital was established. From June 2022 to January 2023, 4 159 posterior color fundus images were continuously collected from Department of Ophthalmology of Xinjiang Corps Hospital and 4 divisional hospitals in the Corps medical system. Among them, hypertensive retinopathy, diabetic retinopathy, exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD), atrophic AMD and retinal vein occlusion were 3 073, 651, 43, 186 and 206 cases, respectively. The images were divided into 3 rounds (first, second and last) according to the proportion of diseases. The doctors who participated in the training (hereinafter referred to as the "training") were 15 ophthalmologists from the Corps Hospital of Xinjiang Region and the division hospital of the Corps system. There were 7 male and 8 female. Age was (38.1±4.0) years. The titles of senior, deputy senior, intermediate and junior are 1, 6, 5 and 3 respectively; Bachelor's degree and master's degree are 13 and 2 respectively. The working time of fundus disease specialty was (9.6±3.3) years. The film reading system training was conducted before the first round of labeling, and after each round of film reading, the doctors of Peking Union Medical College Hospital gave feedback and explanation on the film reading results. The diagnostic consistency, sensitivity and specificity were compared by paired sample t test. Spearman or Pearson correlation analysis was conducted between the improvement of diagnostic level and professional title, education, age and working hours of ocular fundus disease. ResultsAll the participating doctors completed the first, second and last reading. After each round of film reading, the film reading summary was carried out for 2 hours. The average diagnostic agreement rates of participating physicians were 53.0%, 67.0% and 75.0%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity were 0.38, 0.69, 054 and 0.66, 0.85, 0.96, respectively. There was significant difference between the first and last examination (P＜0.001). The sensitivity of the second reading was significantly higher than that of the first reading, and the sensitivity of the last reading was significantly lower than that of the second reading, with statistical significance (P＜0.05). The specificity of the second reading was significantly higher than that of the first reading, and the last reading was significantly higher than that of the second reading, with statistical significance (P＜0.05). There was no significant correlation (P＞0.05) between the improvement of diagnostic level of participating physicians and educational background (Rho=0.07), professional title (Rho=0.13), age (r=0.20), and working time of ophthalmofundus disease specialty (r=0.26).ConclusionsRelying on the three-level online telemedicine training, it can improve the ability of ophthalmologists in Xinjiang region to diagnose fundus diseases. The preliminary telemedicine education model has demonstrated potential for feasibility and effectiveness in remote areas with inadequate medical resources.