PURPOSE: To investigate the short-term efficacy and safety of ranibizumab in the routine clinical setting in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration and to analyze the associated factors for visual outcome. METHODS: This was a post-hoc analysis of a ranibizumab regulatory post-marketing surveillance study in which 4,136 patients were enrolled and followed for 12 weeks. Change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), size of choroidal neovascularization, and the presence of hemorrhage and exudate were analyzed and the association between BCVA change and baseline characteristics were investigated. Data on ocular and systemic adverse events were collected. RESULTS: Mean BCVA improved significantly and mean BCVA change was the logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution 0.13 ± 0.01 (p < 0.001). A lower baseline BCVA and younger age were significant predictive factors for visual improvement or maintenance (≥0 lines). For greater visual acuity gain (≥3 lines), no treatment history, lower baseline BCVA, younger age, and classic-type choroidal neovascularization were significant predictive factors. No new safety signals were found. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, conducted in real-world clinical practice with a large number of neovascular age-related macular degeneration patients, visual and anatomical outcomes improved significantly after three monthly ranibizumab treatments. Treatment-naive patients had a higher chance of greater visual gain (≥3 lines) than non-naive patients.
Choroidal Neovascularization ; Exudates and Transudates ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Macular Degeneration ; Ranibizumab ; Visual Acuity

BACKGROUND: Leukoreduction can reduce the risk of HLA alloimmunization, recurrent febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions, and several transfusion-transmitted infectious diseases, including cytomegalovirus infection. Transmission of the new influenza A (H1N1) virus through transfusion may be a concern. We evaluated the effect of filtration with a leukoreduction filter on H1N1 genomes. METHODS: To evaluate the effect of filtration by a leukoreduction filter on H1N1 genomes, we analyzed pre- and post-filtered samples from nasopharyngeal swabs and 10 positive plasma samples using real time RT-PCR. RESULTS: The 10 samples (nasopharyngeal swabs and plasma) contained H1N1 RNA, and filtration with a leukoreduction filter reduced these levels (threshold cycle values from 31.42+/-2.06 to 38.84+/-1.47 in nasopharyngeal swabs, from 35.63+/-2.19 to 39.38+/-2.65 in plasma samples). CONCLUSION: Filtration with a leukoreduction filter can reduce H1N1 genome levels, but may not be completely sufficient for total eradication of this pathogen.
Blood Group Incompatibility ; Communicable Diseases ; Cytomegalovirus Infections ; Filtration ; Genome ; Influenza, Human ; Plasma ; RNA ; Viruses

PURPOSE: To study the clinical course of herpes zoster ophthalmicus (HZO) and to compare the demographics, treatments, and outcomes in patients under 50 years of age versus patients 50 years of age or older at the time of diagnosis. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed of 102 patients who were diagnosed with HZO between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2010. Baseline demographics and clinical characteristics between patients with an onset of HZO under the age of 50 years and patients with an onset of HZO at the age of 50 years or older were compared. RESULTS: Similar numbers of patients were affected with HZO in the younger and older age groups (n = 44, 43.1%, vs. n = 58, 56.9%). The mean +/- SD of age was 50.6 +/- 21.8 years (range, 3-89 years) and the most common decade of HZO onset was between 50 and 59 years. Gender and disease laterality were not statistically different between the 2 groups. No significant difference was found regarding the presence of any ocular manifestation between the groups; however, anterior uveitis was more frequent in the younger patients (p = 0.04). The number of patients with immunosuppressive therapy was higher in the younger age group (p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: HZO-affected patients under the age of 50 years and older than 50 years were equally distributed, with the most common decade of onset between the age of 50 and 59 years. Younger patients had a higher incidence of anterior uveitis and immunosuppressive therapy due to underlying systemic diseases.
Demography ; Diagnosis ; Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Retrospective Studies ; Uveitis, Anterior

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate changes in subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) and macular thickness as measured by enhanced depth imaging spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT) after argon laser panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) in patients with severe diabetic retinopathy. METHODS: This prospective, comparative case series included 21 patients (28 eyes) with severe diabetic retinopathy. All patients underwent three sessions of PRP. The SFCT and macular thickness were measured using EDI-OCT at baseline and one week after completion of 3 sessions of PRP. RESULTS: SFCT before PRP was 318.1±96.5 µm and increased to 349.9±108.3 µm; P=0.001 after PRP. Macular thickness significantly increased at one week after PRP from 273.1±23.9 µm at baseline 295.8±25.3 µm at one week; (P<0.001). No significant relationship between the changes in macular thickness and SFCT was observed (r=−0.13, P=0.52). CONCLUSION: PRP induced increases in both SFCT and macular thickness. Changes in SFCT did not correlate with changes in macular thickness.
Argon* ; Choroid* ; Diabetic Retinopathy ; Humans ; Light Coagulation* ; Macular Edema ; Prospective Studies ; Tomography, Optical Coherence

No abstract available.
Choroid/pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ophthalmia, Sympathetic/*etiology/pathology ; Retina/pathology ; Retinal Detachment/surgery ; Vitrectomy/*adverse effects

No abstract available.
Choroid/pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ophthalmia, Sympathetic/*etiology/pathology ; Retina/pathology ; Retinal Detachment/surgery ; Vitrectomy/*adverse effects

BACKGROUND: Smoking is a high risk factor for various chronic diseases. Therefore, physicians are expected to play a critical role in patients smoking cessation. There have been a number of studies which show that cessation recommendation by physicians is effective for patients to stop smoking. The purpose of this study is to assess physicians smoking status and its effect on physicians attitude for their advice to patients to quit smoking. METHODS: During August and September in 1995, self-report questionnaire was distributed to doctors in Jin-Gu, Pusan. It consisted of inquiries on their demographic features, their smoking status, whether physicians ask patients their smoking status or not, whether physicians advise patients to quit smoking or not, and whether physicians confirm patients smoking cessation. Among 203 responses returned, 193 cases was analyzed. RESULTS: Among the total 193 persons, 60 persons are smoking now(31.4%, Men 34.5%, women 0%), and 88 persons(67.2%) are ex-smoker. 84.1% of smokers have tried to quit smoking, and stress was the most common reason for failure. Smoking rate and experience rate were higher in men than in women(P<0.001), but there were no significant differences in smoking rate and experience rate according to ages, religions, specialties, hospital types, and positions. Among responders 144 cases(75.0%) asked smoking status of patients. 21.4% of them asked smoking status of all patients who may smoke, and 25.0% of them hardly ask smoking status of patients. For question about patients' smoking status, the younger physicians were more active in asking smoking status of patients(p=0.038), and the physicians in hospital did much more than physicians in university hospital and private clinics(p=0.015). Among responders, 161 persons(84.7%) advised patients to quit smoking, and 19.5% of them advised to quit smoking for all patients who smoked. However, 15.3% of them hardly gave patients such suggestion. It was found that there was no significant relationship between physicians smoking status and attitudes toward giving patients suggestion to quit smoking. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that there was no significant relationship between physicians smoking status and their attitudes toward giving patients suggestion to quit smoking, and physicians smoking status did not have any effect on smoking cessation advice. However, this study does not exclude the possibility that the results might be reversed, if the census would be extended to broader area. Physicians should take an active role against smoking.
Busan ; Censuses ; Chronic Disease ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Risk Factors ; Smoke* ; Smoking Cessation* ; Smoking* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: To analyze trends in rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) surgery among the members of the Korean Retina Society from 2001 to 2013. METHODS: In 2013, surveys were conducted by email and post to investigate the current practice patterns regarding RRD treatment. Questions included how surgeons would manage six cases of hypothetical RRD. Results were compared to those reported in 2001. RESULTS: A total of 133 members (60.7%) in 2013 and 46 members(79.3%) in 2001 responded to the survey. Preference for pneumatic retinopexy has decreased in uncomplicated primary RRD (p = 0.004). More respondents in 2013 selected vitrectomy as the primary procedure when mild vitreous hemorrhage (p = 0.001), myopia (p = 0.044) and history of successful scleral buckling on the fellow eye (p = 0.044) were added to the primary scenario. Vitrectomy was over twice as popular in cases of pseudophakic, macula-off RRD with posterior capsular opacity (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: For RRD with myopia, pseudophakia and media opacity, surgical interventions over the last decade have drastically shifted from scleral buckling and pneumatic retinopexy to vitrectomy.
Endotamponade/trends ; Female ; Health Care Surveys ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures/*trends ; Ophthalmology/organization & administration ; Practice Patterns, Physicians'/*trends ; Republic of Korea ; Retinal Detachment/*surgery ; Scleral Buckling/trends ; Societies, Medical ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Vitrectomy/trends

PURPOSE: To evaluate the inter- and intra-observer variability of ocular response analyzer (ORA) measurements, and to evaluate the relationships among the intraocular pressures (IOPs) obtained by ORA, Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT) and non-contact tonometer (NCT). METHODS: The present study included 45 normal eyes from 45 volunteers. Three masked observers performed ORA measurements. NCT and GAT measurements were performed by one independent observer. The reproducibility of ORA was assessed by ANOVA-based intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and coefficient of variation (CV). Comparison among the tonometers was performed using the Bland-Altman plot and paired t-test. RESULTS: The ICC for inter-observer reproducibility of ORA parameters was 0.90 to 0.97. The corresponding CV values were 13.2% to 19.1%. The intra-observer ICC values for IOP cc were 0.78 to 0.88. CV was 11.2% to 16.8%. For CRF, ICC values were 0.80 to 0.84 with CV values as 11.6% to 15.9%. For CH, ICC values were 0.74 to 0.82 and CV values were 13.0% to 15.9%. The difference in mean IOP values between IOP cc and IOP g was statistically significant (p = 0.04). However, no difference was found among other tonometers, and only IOP cc did not result in significant correlation with central corneal thickness (CCT) (p = 0.38). CONCLUSIONS: The intra- and inter-observer reproducibility was substantial for IOP cc, IOP g, CH and CRF, for all observers. Additionally, IOP measured with ORA did not result in significant differences from GAT and NCT.
Eye ; Intraocular Pressure ; Masks ; Observer Variation ; Peptides

Purpose: This study aimed to systematically review literature and conduct a meta-analysis to comprehensively identify and evaluate the effects of workplace risk assessment-based ergonomic intervention on work-related muscular-skeletal disorders in workers. Methods: We searched the Ovid-Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane library and up to 2018 using search terms such as muscular-skeletal, disorder, impairment, work-related muscular-skeletal disorders, ergonomic, intervention, management with no language limitations; screened reference lists; and contacted experts in the field. Results: We identified 545 references and included 13 randomized controlled tests (3,368 workers). We judged nine studies to have a low risk of bias, while the other four studies have a high risk of bias. Conclusion Ergonomic intervention based on risk assessment in the workplace did not significantly differ in terms of the intensity of pain or duration of workers in the workplace, but low-quality evidence decreased the frequency of musculoskeletal disorder pain in three to six months moderate-quality evidence and in six to nine months low-quality evidence. Besides, low-quality evidence to reduce discomfort and moderate-quality evidence to improve worker posture. Therefore, ergonomic intervention based on the assessment of risk factors in the workplace should be applied to reduce pain frequency and discomfort and improve workers posture among musculoskeletal disorders.