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Biomedical subjects

Baruch D Kuppermann

Publications and source records attributed to Baruch D Kuppermann.

22 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Complications of ganciclovir implant surgery in patients with cytomegalovirus retinitis: the Ganciclovir Cidofovir Cytomegalovirus Retinitis Trial.

PURPOSE: To describe the complications of ganciclovir implant surgery in patients with cytomegalovirus retinitis. METHODS: Prospective data collection within the context of a randomized, controlled clinical trial, comparing a regimen of the ganciclovir implant plus oral ganciclovir to one of intravenous cidofovir for the treatment of cytomegalovirus retinitis in patients with AIDS. Adverse events were compared for patients undergoing implant surgery in the following groups: primary versus replacement implant surgery, inpatient versus outpatient surgery, and general versus local anesthesia. RESULTS: Fifty-six eyes of 42 patients underwent a total of 74 ganciclovir implant surgeries. Vitreous hemorrhage was the most common adverse event, occurring in 10% of eyes undergoing surgery with local anesthesia but in no eyes undergoing surgery with general anesthesia. All vitreous hemorrhages resolved within 60 days. Patients in the general anesthesia and inpatient surgery groups tended to have a lower risk of complications in the first 30 days than did patients in the local anesthesia and outpatient surgery groups, but no differences in the complication rate were found after 60 days. Visual acuity was similar among these different groups. There were no cases of endophthalmitis. CONCLUSION: Ganciclovir implant surgery in patients with AIDS and cytomegalovirus retinitis was associated with a low risk of serious complications in the first 60 days after surgery. Vitreous hemorrhage was the most commonly observed complication and resolved in all cases.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

Genotypic analysis of cytomegalovirus retinitis poorly responsive to intravenous ganciclovir but responsive to the ganciclovir implant.

PURPOSE: To determine whether cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis that responded poorly to intravenous ganciclovir therapy but responded to the ganciclovir implant was caused by virus with resistance mutations in the viral UL97 and UL54 genes. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review and laboratory-based experimental study. METHODS: Regions of the CMV UL97 and UL54 were amplified from the vitreous and analyzed for resistant mutations by a combination of DNA sequencing and restriction digestion. Vitreous from patients with AIDS and retinal infections other than CMV retinitis served as negative controls. RESULTS: We amplified all target regions of UL97 DNA and most target regions of UL54 DNA from eight eyes with CMV retinitis. In one eye we found a ganciclovir resistance mutation at base 1781 of the UL97 gene, predicting an alanine to valine mutation at codon 594. In a second eye we found a ganciclovir resistance mutation at base 2960 of the UL54 gene, predicting an alanine to glycine mutation at codon 987. In two additional eyes, both from patients with bilateral retinitis, we found UL54 mutations that are likely to confer resistance to ganciclovir but have not been previously described. In both of these patients the UL54 genotype differed between the two diseased eyes. CONCLUSIONS: Failure to control CMV retinitis with intravenous ganciclovir does not necessarily imply infection with a virus having a known mutation that confers drug resistance. The ganciclovir implant can be an effective therapy for CMV retinitis caused by virus with certain UL97 and UL54 resistance mutations. Cytomegalovirus UL54 genotypes can differ between eyes in patients with bilateral retinitis.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

Evaluation of in vitro effects of bevacizumab (Avastin) on retinal pigment epithelial, neurosensory retinal, and microvascular endothelial cells.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the short-term in vitro safety of bevacizumab (Avastin) in human retinal pigment epithelial (ARPE-19), rat neurosensory retinal (R28), and human microvascular endothelial (HMVECad) cells. METHODS: ARPE-19 and R28 cells were treated with 0.125 mg/mL, 0.25 mg/mL, 0.50 mg/mL, and 1 mg/mL of bevacizumab for 2, 6, and 24 hours. HMVECad cells were treated with 5 ng/mL of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and 0.125 mg/mL, 0.25 mg/mL, 0.50 mg/mL, and 1 mg/mL of either bevacizumab for 2, 6, and 24 hours or a nonspecific human purified immunoglobulin (IgG) for 24 hours. Cell viability was measured using trypan blue dye exclusion assay. RESULTS: The cell viabilities of ARPE-19 cells, R28 cells, and HMVECad cells treated with bevacizumab were not significantly different (P > 0.05) from that of untreated controls. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) between viabilities of HMVECad cells treated with bevacizumab and IgG. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that bevacizumab, at concentrations at or above the dose normally used in clinical practice, is not toxic to human retinal pigment epithelial, rat neurosensory retinal, or human microvascular endothelial cells in vitro. This report is consistent with the recent report of lack of toxicity of intravitreal bevacizumab in rabbits as well as the lack of apparent toxicity in clinical use.

Angiogenesis Inhibitors↗

Optical coherence tomography in progressive outer retinal necrosis.

A 38-year-old man with human immunodeficiency virus was referred for evaluation of retinal lesions in both eyes. Optical coherence tomography was performed after dilating the pupils. Biomicroscopy of the retina showed an atypical, solitary, yellowish-white lesion in the macula of both eyes with no inflammation of the vitreous. Optical coherence tomography of the lesions showed an area of extremely low reflectivity with well-defined but irregular borders in the outer retina. The surrounding retina showed normal reflectivity and was of normal thickness. Optical coherence tomography showed selective necrosis of the outer layers due to progressive outer retinal necrosis. Optical coherence tomography may serve as a useful tool for the early diagnosis of progressive outer retinal necrosis.

Adult↗