Inferotemporal Vein Research Articles

Comparison of the effects of intravitreal ranibizumab and aflibercept on retinal vessel diameters in patients with diabetic macular edema

PurposeTo evaluate and compare the effects of intravitreal ranibizumab and aflibercept treatment on retinal vessel diameters in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME). MethodsThirty initial-treatment naïve patients with DME who received three loading doses at monthly intervals of intravitreal ranibizumab or aflibercept were retrospectively reviewed. The diameters of the central retinal artery and vein sections at a distance of 1500 microns from the optical disc boundary were measured and evaluated at baseline and after the first, second, and third month of the treatment, using infrared images from optical coherence tomography (OCT) (Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany). ResultsIn the superotemporal artery (STA) measurements, the mean basal vessel diameter decreased from 110.00 ± 17.25 μm to 102.60 ± 16.90 μm (p = 0.001) in the third month of the treatment in the ranibizumab group. In the aflibercept group, measurements of the basal STA vessel diameter decreased from 110.20 ± 21.25 μm to 103.93 ± 19.03 μm (p = 0.001) at the third month. The mean basal inferotemporal artery (ITA) vessel diameter was significantly decreased at the third month in both ranibizumab (p = 0.001) and aflibercept groups (p = 0.005). In the superotemporal vein (STV) and inferotemporal vein (ITV) measurements, vessel diameters were found significantly decreased at the end of the third month compared with basal measurements in both the ranibizumab (p = 0.001; p = 0.001, respectively) and aflibercept (p = 0.001; p = 0.004, respectively) treatment groups. The retinal vessel measurements were not found to differ significantly between the two intravitreal treatment agents (p > 0.05). ConclusionBoth intravitreal ranibizumab and aflibercept agents cause a significant narrowing in the retinal vessel diameters in patients with DME after three loading doses at monthly intervals.

Vessel Caliber in Normal Tension and Primary Open Angle Glaucoma Eyes With Hemifield Damage.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate retinal vessel diameter in age-matched normal tension glaucoma (NTG) and primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) eyes with hemifield involvement. Fundus photographs of patients with hemifield defect, good visibility of retinal nerve fiber layer defect, and vessels were compared with 30 controls. One eye of each patient (28 NTG and 30 POAG) was randomly chosen for analysis using Image J software by different clinicians at 2 levels. The structural parameters analyzed included retinal nerve fiber layer defect width, diameter of vessels (superotemporal or inferotemporal artery and superotemporal or inferotemporal vein). The average superotemporal artery diameter was similar in NTG (71±16.8 µm), POAG (79±26.6 µm), and controls (82±14.1 µm), P=0.2 with similar pattern seen for other vessels. The affected quadrant in all eyes and those with disc hemorrhage (n=8) did not have significantly different arteries and veins diameter as compared with the unaffected quadrant in that eye. No relation of artery or vein diameter with retinal nerve fiber layer defect width or clinical variables in NTG or POAG eyes was seen on multivariate regression analysis. The vessel diameter was not significantly different in the affected and unaffected quadrants of age and severity-matched NTG and POAG eyes with hemifield structural and functional defect as reported in earlier studies. These results point toward the possibility that vascular diameter changes may not be the cause for glaucomatous changes.

Congenital retinal macrovessel with macular edema: An unusual presentation

Congenital retinal macrovessel (CRM) is a rare developmental condition in which a large vein, artery, or occasionally an artery and a vein together, cross the macular region. Most often, this aberrant vessel originates from a branch of the inferotemporal vein, with branches crossing the horizontal raphe. CRMs do not affect vision unless there are associated foveolar cysts, foveal ectopia, pigmentary changes at fovea, macular hemorrhage, exudates, serous macular detachment, or the macrovessel crosses the fovea. We present a case of a 13-year-old male patient with congenital macular artery crossing the fovea, associated with macular edema and decreased visual acuity. In this case report, we highlight the fundus fluorescein angiography findings and optical coherence tomography evaluation of the patient.