Purpose:To evaluate the rate of compliance and the reasons for loss to follow-up in Indian patients with diabetic macular edema (DME), age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and retinal vein occlusion (RVO) being treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy.Methods:This was a retrospective single-center study. Patients with DME, AMD, or RVO were eligible if they initiated anti-VEGF therapy between January 2013 and December 2017. Patients'' data were obtained from hospital electronic records, including the number of injections received, visits, details of follow-up, missed appointments, and reasons for loss to follow-up (>365 days).Results:A total of 648 patients were eligible for the study, of which 334 (51.54%) patients were lost to follow-up. Overall, 343 (64.96%) were males and the overall mean (SD) age was 66.40 (7.44) years. A total of 376 (58.0%) patients had a history of diabetes and 364 (56.2%) patients had a history of hypertension. Further, 127 (38.0), 112 (33.5), and 95 (28.4) had DME, AMD, and RVO, respectively and were lost to follow-up. The most commonly reported reason for loss to follow-up was “non-affordability” (n = 120; 41.1%) followed by “no improvement in vision” (n = 83; 28.4%). “No improvement in vision” (42.2%) and “non-affordability” (37.5%) were higher among patients with DME. No association was found in gender- and treatment-wise distribution of reasons for loss to follow-up.Conclusion:The results showed that around half of the patients with DME, AMD, and RVO were lost to follow-up to intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy, and the most common factors were “non-affordability” and “no improvement in vision.” 相似文献
Disruption of intestinal barrier is a key component to various diseases. Whether barrier dysfunction is the cause or effect in these situations is still unknown, although it is believed that translocation of luminal content may initiate gastrointestinal or systemic inflammatory disorders. Since trauma- or infection-driven epithelial permeability depends on Toll-like receptor (TLR) activity, inhibition of TLR signaling has been proposed as a strategy to protect intestinal barrier integrity after infection or other pathological conditions. Recently, selective serotonin recapture inhibitors including sertraline and citalopram were shown to inhibit TLR-3 activity, but the direct effects of these antidepressant drugs on the gut mucosa barrier remain largely unexplored.
Materials and methods
To investigate this, two approaches were used: first, ex vivo studies were performed to evaluate sertraline and citalopram-driven changes in permeability in isolated intestinal tissue. Second, both compounds were tested for their preventive effects in a rat model of disrupted gut barrier, induced by a low protein (LP) diet.
Results
Only sertraline was able to increase transepithelial electrical resistance in the rat colon both when used in an ex vivo (0.8 μg/mL, 180 min) or in vivo (30 mg/kg p.o., 20 days) fashion. However, citalopram (20 mg/kg p.o., 20 days), but not sertraline, prevented the increase in phospho–IRF3 protein, a marker of TLR-3 activation, in LP-rat ileum. Neither antidepressant affected locomotion, anxiety-like behaviours or stress-induced defecation.
Conclusion
Our data provides evidence to support the investigation of sertraline as therapeutic strategy to protect intestinal barrier function under life-threatening situations or chronic conditions associated with gut epithelial disruption.
This study aimed to assess the impact of in vitro erosion
provoked by different cola-based drinks (Coke types), associated or not with
toothbrushing, to bonding to enamel.
Material and Methods
Fifty-six bovine enamel specimens were prepared and randomly assigned into seven
groups (N=8): C- Control (neither eroded nor abraded), ERO-RC: 3x/1-minute
immersion in Regular Coke (RC), ERO-LC: 3x/1-minute immersion in Light Coke (LC),
ERO-ZC: 3x/1-minute immersion in Zero Coke (ZC) and three other eroded groups,
subsequently abraded for 1-minute toothbrushing (EROAB-RC, EROAB-LC and EROAB-ZC,
respectively). After challenges, they were stored overnight in artificial saliva
for a total of 24 hours and restored with Adper Single Bond 2/Filtek Z350. Buildup
coronal surfaces were cut in 1 mm2 -specimens and subjected to a
microtensile test. Data were statistically analyzed by two-way ANOVA/Bonferroni
tests (α=0.05). Failure modes were assessed by optical microscopy (X40). The
interface of the restorations were observed using Confocal Laser Scanning
Microscopy (CLSM).
Results
All tested cola-based drinks significantly reduced the bond strength, which was
also observed in the analyses of interfaces. Toothbrushing did not have any impact
on the bond strength. CLSM showed that except for Zero Coke, all eroded specimens
resulted in irregular hybrid layer formation.
Conclusions
All cola-based drinks reduced the bond strength. Different patterns of hybrid
layers were obtained revealing their impact, except for ZC. 相似文献