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Purpose: This study evaluates the efficacy and patient satisfaction of intravitreal conbercept (IVC) as adjunctive treatment before panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) for Chinese proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) with or without clinically significant macular edema., Methods: We enrolled 94 patients and categorized them into 2 groups: eyes that received PRP with single-dose IVC (0.5 mg/0.05 mL) 1 week before PRP (Plus group) or PRP only (PRP group). We measured the central macular thickness (CMT) by optical coherence tomography and best-corrected visual acuity. Satisfaction of PRP after 3 months was evaluated by a satisfaction questionnaire., Results: Single-dose IVC 1 week before PRP significantly increased the PRP completion rate and satisfaction of treatment after 3 months in PDR patients. The average CMT significantly decreased in the Plus group but increased in the PRP group. No average visual changes were detected in the Plus group, but significant average visual loss was detected in the PPR group. The most important factors that determined satisfaction were the PRP completion rate in the short term and better vision gain after PRP., Conclusions: IVC is a promising adjunctive treatment to PRP in the treatment of PDR. Single-dose IVC 1 week before PRP was suggested to improve PRP completion rate and patient satisfaction in the short term., (© 2019 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

In the neural retina, glial cells control formation of ionic gradients by mediating transmembrane water fluxes through aquaporin (AQP) water channels. Retinal content and immunolocalization of two water channels, AQP1 and AQP4, in the diabetic rat retinas during high-salt loading were examined in this study. Diabetes was induced by an intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. Diabetic and control animals were observed after varying lengths of exposure to normal- and high-salt conditions. Ultrathin sections of retinal tissue, stained with uranyl acetate and lead citrate, were photographed using a transmission electron microscope (TEM). Retinal wholemounts were immunostained with AQP1 and AQP4 antibody to detect the immunolocalization changes by confocal microscopy. AQP1 and AQP4 content were evaluated by Western blot analysis. In the retinas of high-salt loading diabetic animals, obviously increased intracellular edema was observed by TEM in ganglion cells and mitochondrial swelling was observed in glial cells. Immunolocalization of AQP1 increased from the posterior to peripheral retina. Western blot results indicated that a high-salt diet may cause increased retinal content of AQP4 and may exacerbate increased retinal content of AQP1 caused by diabetic retinopathy. High-salt loading may increase neural retinal edema in rats with diabetic retinopathy, and altered glial cell mediated water transport via AQP channels in the retina may play an important role in the neural retinal edema formation and resolution.

Purpose: To determine the effect of three-month diabetes on the retinal ganglion cell (RGC) morphology and density. Methods: Experimental diabetes was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ). Retinas from three-month diabetic and age-matched control rats were harvested, and immunohistochemistry with monoclonal anti-Thy-1 antibody was carried out for calculating RGC density. Random RGC labeling with gene gun propelled lipophilic fluorescent dye, DiI, coated particles (DiOlistic method) was done for detailed RGC classification, dendritic field, and soma size measurement. Results: The number of Thy1-labeled RGCs in the three-month diabetic rats was significantly reduced compared with that in the age-matched control. Obvious RGC morphology changes were observed, and the number of RGCs that could not be classified was significantly greater in the diabetic retinas. Among those well-classified RGCs, cells with enlarged dendritic fields were more frequently seen in the RGA group (401±86um, n = 59, P < 0.001), but the soma sizes were unchanged from the controls (P > 0.05). For cells in the groups of RGB and RGC, no significant changes in the dendritic fields and soma sizes were found (P > 0.05). Conclusions: In the three-month STZ-induced diabetic rat, retinal ganglion cell loss is associated with morphology change. The surviving RGCs in the diabetic retina, especially those in RGA group, show significant dendritic field enlargement. This plasticity of the surviving RGC dendrites may represent a compensatory response to the overall loss of RGCs in diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]