We investigated the association between the SDF-1-3′ (c801G > A) variant and the development of diabetic macular edema (DME) or proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) in a Hungarian cohort. SDF-1-3′ (c801G > A) was genotyped in 103 patients with diabetic retinopathy and 31 age- and sex-matched non-diabetic controls. Central retinal and choroidal thickness was measured by swept-source optical coherence tomography. The distribution of heterozygous and homozygous SDF-1-3′ (c801G > A) genotypes was similar in diabetic and control subjects. The SDF-3′(c801AA) genotype was associated with DME (n = 94 eyes, allele distribution p = 0.006, genotype distribution p = 0.01 OR: 2.48, 95% CL: 1.21–5.08) in both univariable and multivariable modelling, independent of duration and type of diabetes, HbA1C, hypertension and microalbuminuria (p = 0.03). DME occurred earlier in patients carrying the SDF-1 (c801A) allele (Kaplan–Meier analysis, log-rank test p = 0.02). A marginally significant association was found between the presence of the SDF-1 (c801A) allele and the development of PDR (n = 89 eyes, p = 0.06). The SDF-1-3′ (c801A) allele also showed a correlation with central retinal (p = 0.006) and choroidal (p = 0.08) thickness. SDF-1-3′ (c801G > A) is involved in the development of macular complications in DM independent of critical clinical factors, suggesting that SDF-1 may be a future therapeutic target for high-risk patients, especially those carrying the SDF-1 (c801A) allele.

The aim of this study was to analyse data from a clinical database using a novel visual acuity parameter to determine whether anti-VEGF molecules that target multiple domains involved in neovascularisation are more likely to achieve good visual acuity than agents that solely inhibit VEGF. This retrospective study analysed data from patients treated with anti-VEGF injections between 2015 and 2023. We set an ETDRS score threshold of 70 (equivalent to 20/40 Snellen acuity) to calculate ‘time in range’ (TIR). TIR is defined as ‘time spent with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) better than 20/40’ and can highlight significant variations in the time individuals spend above the threshold during their AMD treatment. Over nine years, 30,209 aflibercept and 10,876 ranibizumab injections were administered to 6043 patients. Patients received an average of 6.8 injections. The mean BCVA at the first injection was 57.00 ± 16.15 ETDRS letters for ranibizumab patients and 58.75 ± 15.82 for aflibercept patients, with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). Both groups showed significant improvement in visual acuity at follow-up (aflibercept: 60.21 ± 15.53; ranibizumab: 59.43 ± 15.81; both p < 0.001). The mean time between the two consecutive injections, including both the initial loading phase and the subsequent maintenance phase, was 67.22 ± 34.08 days for ranibizumab and 72.15 ± 31.00 days for aflibercept; the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). After controlling for the effect of initial BCVA and time between injections, patients who received aflibercept had a significantly higher average TIR (60.90 ± 36.27 days vs. 56.55 ± 38.78 days, p < 0.001), and significantly more likely to achieve >70 letters at the next visit (OR: 1.10; 95% CI: 1.05–1.15; p < 0.001) compared to patients receiving ranibizumab. Aflibercept treatment improves the likelihood of maintaining good BCVA by 10% compared to ranibizumab in patients receiving intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment for nAMD. Furthermore, the beneficial effects of aflibercept treatment are observed with less frequent dosing. Our results suggest that using anti-VEGF compounds that target multiple domains provides a detectable advantage in treating age-related macular degeneration, particularly when these agents have a longer duration of action.

Purpose: To evaluate prognostic factors for visual outcome in patients with diabetes who have undergone vitrectomy (PPV) for severe proliferative diabetic vitreo-retinopathy (PDVR) in at least one eye in the past 15 years. Methods: Medical records of 132 eyes of 66 patients were analyzed (median age 52ys 21-80; patients with type 1/2 diabetes 40/26, median follow-up 38 months 9-125). Correlation between final good visual outcome defined as 0.5≤ best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and prognostic factors (age, sex, type and duration of diabetes, metabolic status, BCVA, diabetic retinopathy status, data of preoperative management, data of vitrectomy, postoperative complications) were analyzed. Results: BCVA improved significantly in the entire study cohort (from median 0.05 min-max 0.001-1 to 0.32 0.001-1, p <0.000). Visual stabilization was achieved in the majority of patients, and relatively good visual acuity (0.5≤BCVA) was maintained in more than one third of eyes. Multivariable GEE statistics showed that in addition to duration of diabetes and stable HbA1c values, only preoperative tractional macular detachment proved to be an independent significant predictor of visual outcome. Conclusions: Pars plana vitrectomy is a useful tool when performed early before tractional macular detachment. However, long-term visual stability can only be achieved with good metabolic control.