With SD-OCT, CNV size can be two-dimensionally determined and followed up after intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment. In only 4% of CNV was enlargement observed, whereas in 78%, CNV architecture appeared qualitatively unchanged, independent of retinal edema. Quantitative measurements underlined stable CNV diameters for all subtypes but revealed significant reduction of thickness especially for classic CNV components. In this series, ranibizumab monotherapy was able to morphologically stop further CNV growth but, in most patients, did not lead to a major regression of CNV, especially of its occult components.

Background. Reliable predictive factors for therapy outcome may enable treating physicians to counsel their patients more efficiently concerning probability of improvement or time point of discontinuation of a certain therapy. Methods. This is a retrospective analysis of 87 patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration who received three monthly intravitreal ranibizumab injections. Visual acuity before initiation of intravitreal therapy and 4–6 weeks after last intravitreal injection was compared and related to the preoperative visualisation of continuity of the outer retinal layers as assessed by OCT: external limiting membrane (ELM), inner photoreceptor segments (IPS), junction between inner and outer segments (IS/OS), and outer photoreceptor segments (OPS). Results. Visual acuity increased in 40 of 87 (46.0%) patients, it remained stable in 25 (28.7%), and 22 (25.3%) patients had decreased visual acuity four to six weeks after triple intravitreal ranibizumab injections. No statistically significant predictive value could be demonstrated for grade of continuity of outer retinal layers concerning visual acuity development. Conclusions. In our series of AMD patients, grade of continuity of outer retinal layers was not a significant predictive value for visual acuity development after triple ranibizumab injections.

IntroductionSplenectomy-induced thrombocytosis and leukocytosis may obscure the early diagnosis of post-operative infection or sepsis. In trauma patients after splenectomy, a platelet-to-white blood cell ratio of <20 has been shown to reliably differentiate post-operative sepsis from transient physiological responses.ObjectiveTo determine whether the platelet-to-white blood cell ratio can be applied to differentiate between reactive post-operative changes and latent infection.MethodsAll consecutive patients with ovarian cancer who underwent splenectomy between January 2013 and October 2018 in two large European gynecological cancer centers were retrospectively evaluated. Main outcome measures were white blood cell count, platelet count, and platelet-to-white blood cell ratio on post-operative days 1, 5, and 7. These were correlated with surgical outcome and morbidity according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. A binomial logistic regression was applied to assess the predictive value of day 5 platelet-to-white blood cell ratio, white blood cell count, and platelet count for predicting grade III post-operative sepsis.ResultsNinety-five patients with ovarian cancer (mean age 54 years, range 18–75) were identified. Seventeen patients (17.9%) developed a grade III post-operative sepsis. In all post-operative patients, mean white blood cell count on day 5 decreased (from 15.4×103/μL to 11.4×103/μL), while the mean platelet count rose (from 260.7×103/μL to 385.3×103/μL). A high platelet count (>313×103/μL) failed to show any predictive value (OR=0.94; 95% CI 0.30 to 3.0; p=0.921). A low platelet-to-white blood cell ratio (<26) (OR=3.49; 95% CI 1.18 to 10.32; p=0.0241) and high white blood cell count (>14.5×103/μL) on day 5 (OR=11.0; 95% CI 3.3 to 36.2; p<0.001) were significant for predicting sepsis. Despite a significant OR, the sensitivity and specificity were low; day 5 platelet-to-white blood cell ratio at a cut-off point of 26 achieved a sensitivity of 72% and specificity of 53% (area under the curve 0.637, 95% CI 0.480 to 0.796) in predicting grade III post-operative sepsis.ConclusionsPlatelet-to-white blood cell ratio after cytoreductive surgery for ovarian cancer with splenectomy does not appear to have a strong predictive value in differentiating between sepsis and reactive splenectomy-induced changes. Leukocytosis, in combination with clinical assessment, may remain the most useful tool for prediction of sepsis after cytoreductive surgery with splenectomy.

Purpose:To investigate multifocal visual evoked potentials (mfVEP) of the amblyopic and fellow eye in amblyopia due to anisometropia.Methods:We recorded mfVEP in both eyes of 15 anisometropic amblyopic patients and 15 normal control subjects. The responses from the central 7.0° arc of the visual field were measured, and changes in latency and amplitude were compared between the amblyopic, fellow, and normal control eyes.Results:There was a significant difference in the latency and amplitude of mfVEP between the amblyopic and fellow eyes. The responses in the central region of the visual field (rings 1 and 2) had a longer latency and smaller amplitude in the amblyopic eye. In contrast, there was no difference in mfVEP latency or amplitude between the fellow eye and normal control eyes.Conclusion:These results suggest that mfVEP may be used as an alternative objective method for diagnosis and monitoring of anisometropic amblyopia.