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Purpose: The purpose of this study was to create a prototype master protocol for benchmarking glaucoma real-world data (RWD). Benchmarking is part of the digital innovation strategy of the Finnish aces-rwm ecosystem (automation of care and evaluation of the system with real-world monitoring).

Methods: We collected glaucoma RWD in 2012–17 at Tampere University Hospital (Tays) and compared them to six published RWD sets (one in Sweden and five in England). Visual field (VF) data at Tays were retrieved from the perimeter, and clinical RWD were collected manually. At baseline, VF data were available in 2511 of 4121 glaucoma patients (61%), of whom 1413 patients (56%) had 5 years of VF follow-up by 2017 (34% of all 4121 patients). Mean deviation (MD) data were analysed in multiple ways, considering also age and intraocular pressure (IOP).

Results: In most data sets, higher age was related to faster progression. At Tays, the distributions of progression rates were similar in better and worse eyes. The proportions of eyes at Tays with the medium rate of MD progression (17% for 0.5–1.5 dB/year) and the fast rate (6% for >1.5 dB/year) were similar to the published RWD trial in England. The published datasets show significant variability in how their findings were reported.

Conclusions: This study represents a first step toward the development of a master protocol for real-world benchmarking of glaucoma care. Further refinement of the protocol will encourage and require national and international collaboration in order to produce comprehensive and comparable real-world EHR data sets.

Aims: To estimate the changes in intraocular pressure (IOP) during the first 24 h after transscleral cyclophotocoagulation (TCP).

Methods: A prospective single-centre study, where patients with glaucoma destined for treatment with TCP were asked for participation. The IOP was measured prior to TCP and at 1, 2, 4, 6 and 24 h post-TCP. An IOP spike was defined as an elevation of IOP of ≥5 mmHg compared with baseline. The visual acuity (VA) was examined at baseline and after 24 h.

Results: The mean IOP prior to TCP in 58 eyes of 58 patients was 26.2 (±8.9 SD) mmHg. Twenty-three eyes (40%) experienced an IOP spike at some examination timepoint during the first 24 h. The mean value of the IOP spike was 12.1 (±6.9) mmHg. Fifty-six per cent of the eyes with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (PEXG) experienced an IOP spike, and 16% had an IOP spike ≥20 mmHg. The IOP was significantly reduced at the 24 h examination by 8.1 (±7.8) mmHg (n = 58). The VA 24 h after TCP was unchanged compared with baseline.

Conclusion: Clinically significant IOP spikes were common in the first 24 h post-TCP. Almost one in five eyes had an increase of 10 mmHg and in almost one in 10 eyes, the IOP increase was 20 mmHg or higher. Eyes with PEXG had a higher occurrence of IOP spikes and displayed a greater magnitude of IOP elevation. Prophylactic post-operative IOP-lowering medication should be considered to prevent further glaucoma damage.

Background/Aims: The goal of health research is to improve patients care and outcomes. Thus, it is essential that research addresses questions that are important to patients and clinicians. The aim of this study was to develop a list of priorities for glaucoma research involving stakeholders from different countries in Europe.

Methods: We used a three-phase method, including a two-round electronic Delphi survey and a workshop. The clinician and patient electronic surveys were conducted in parallel and independently. For phase I, the survey was distributed to patients from 27 European countries in 6 different languages, and to European Glaucoma Society members, ophthalmologists with expertise in glaucoma care, asking to name up to five research priorities. During phase II, participants were asked to rank the questions identified in phase I using a Likert scale. Phase III was a 1 day workshop with patients and clinicians. The purpose was to make decisions about the 10 most important research priorities using the top 20 priorities identified by patients and clinicians.

Results: In phase I, 308 patients and 150 clinicians were involved. In phase II, the highest-ranking priority for both patients and clinicians was € treatments to restore vision'. In phase III, eight patients and four clinicians were involved. The top three priorities were € treatments to stop sight loss', € treatments to restore vision' and € improved detection of worsening glaucoma'.

Conclusion: We have developed a list of priorities for glaucoma research involving clinicians and patients from different European countries that will help guide research efforts and investment.

Purpose: To investigate the influence of laser trabeculoplasty (LTP) on subsequent surgery with combined phacoemulsification/ Kahook Dual Blade goniotomy (phaco-KDB) in patients with open-angle glaucoma or intraocular hypertension.

Patients and Methods: Patients undergoing phaco-KDB between 2019 and 2021 were divided into previously LTP treated and previously non-LTP treated, and LTP-treatment included argon laser trabeculoplasty (ALT) and selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT). The primary goal was to investigate if previous LTP influenced later surgical outcome of phaco-KDB. The secondary goal was to investigate if the outcome of LTP could be predictive of the outcome of subsequent phaco-KDB. We also compared IOP-and medication reductions between LTP and non-LTP treated patients.

Results: A total of 111 LTP treated patients were compared to 139 non-LTP treated patients. In LTP treated patients, surgical success of phaco-KDB was 82.9%, compared to 88.5% in non-LTP treated patients (P=0.20). Reductions in IOP and medications were similar between groups. Furthermore, within the LTP group, patients with successful LTP-treatment had a subsequent surgical success of phaco-KDB in 80.7%, compared to 83.0% in patients with unsuccessful LTP-treatment (P=0.765).

Conclusion: Previous LTP treatment does not predict the outcome of phaco-KDB. Furthermore, no correlation was found between the LTP effect and a later surgical success of phaco-KDB.

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term effect of laser trabeculoplasty (LTP) in patients randomized to multi-treatment in the Glaucoma Intensive Treatment Study (GITS).

Methods: Patients with untreated newly diagnosed open-angle glaucoma were treated with three intraocular pressure (IOP)-lowering substances for 1 week and then 360 degrees argon or selective LTP was performed. IOP was measured just before LTP and repeatedly during the 60-month study period. Our previous report on 12 months follow-up data revealed no effect of LTP in eyes having an IOP <15 mmHg before the laser treatment.

Results: Before LTP, the mean IOP +/- standard deviation in all 152 study-eyes of 122 multi-treated patients was 14.0 +/- 3.5 mmHg. Three eyes of three deceased patients were lost to follow-up during the 60 months. After exclusion of eyes that received increased therapy during follow-up, the IOP was significantly reduced at all visits up to 48 months in eyes with pre-LTP IOP >= 15 mmHg; 2.6 +/- 3.1 mmHg at 1 month and 1.7 +/- 2.8 mmHg at 48 months, n = 56 and 48, respectively. No significant IOP reduction was seen in eyes with pre-LTP IOP <15 mmHg. Seven eyes, i.e., <13%, with pre-LTP IOP >= 15 mmHg at baseline had required increased IOP-lowering therapy at 48 months.

Conclusion: LTP performed in multi-treated patients may provide a useful IOP reduction that is maintained over several years. This was true on a group level when the initial IOP was >= 15 mmHg, but if the pre-laser IOP was lower than that, chances of LTP success were small.

PURPOSE: To create a holistic and realistic view regarding current knowledge, understanding, and challenges of screening in general and in glaucoma.

METHODS/RESULTS: Based upon available literature, all systems suffer from the same challenges: huge variability of care practices (despite guidelines), simultaneous under care and over care, as well as the unsustainable increase of costs. While the magnitude of these challenges differs immoderately between well-off and developing countries, the Western world has already demonstrated that simply doing more than what we currently do is not the solution. System outcomes also matter in screening, that is, its benefits should outweigh any harms (over-care, false positives/negatives, uncertain findings, etc.) and be cost-effective. However, even when the evidence does not support screening (as is currently the case in glaucoma), it may feel justified as "at least we are doing something." Strong commercial interests, lobbying and politics star as well and will influence the control arm even in high-quality randomized screening trials (RCT).

CONCLUSIONS: As resources will never be sufficient for all health care activities that providers wish to deliver and what people wish to receive, we need to ask big questions and adopt a public health perspective in glaucoma and eye care. How can we create and maintain a sustainable balance between finding and treating underserved high-risk patients without burdening the broader patient population and societies with over-diagnostics and treatments? Considering numerous biases related to screening, including the variability in care practices, a high-quality RCT for the screening of glaucoma would be very challenging to organize and evaluate its universal usefulness.

Maintenance of NAD pools is critical for neuronal survival. The capacity to maintain NAD pools declines in neurodegenerative disease. We identify that low NMNAT2, the critical neuronal NAD producing enzyme, drives retinal susceptibility to neurodegenerative insults. As proof of concept, gene therapy over-expressing full length human NMNAT2 is neuroprotective. To pharmacologically target NMNAT2, we identify that epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) can drive NAD production in neurons through an NMNAT2 and NMN dependent mechanism. We confirm this by pharmacological and genetic inhibition of the NAD-salvage pathway. EGCG is neuroprotective in rodent (mixed sex) and human models of retinal neurodegeneration. As EGCG has poor drug-like qualities, we use it as a tool compound to generate novel small molecules which drive neuronal NAD production and provide neuroprotection. This class of NMNAT2 targeted small molecules could have an important therapeutic impact for neurodegenerative disease following further drug development.