Patient report of better doctor communication behavior and higher trust in physician are inversely associated with high EB among patients with diabetes. Further research should determine whether interventions improving patient physician communication and trust can lower the EB of diabetes.

BACKGROUND Antibiotic prophylaxis in cataract surgery is intended to minimize endophthalmitis. We describe pathogenic organisms, antibiotic sensitivities, and antibiotic prophylaxis in culture-proven endophthalmitis cases. DESIGN Retrospective consecutive case series, community-based setting. SAMPLES 215 cases of endophthalmitis after cataract surgery performed during 2007–2012 in Kaiser Permanente, California. METHODS AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Descriptive analysis of isolated organisms and antibiotic sensitivities in relation to antibiotic prophylaxis in culture-proven endophthalmitis cases. RESULTS The majority of culture-confirmed organisms (N=83) were Gram-positive (96%), most notably coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CoNS) (N=34, 52%), of which all that underwent testing were sensitive to vancomycin (N=32). Among 19 cases that had received only topical antibiotic prophylaxis, 7 (37%) were resistant to the antibiotic given: 50% of cases (5 of 10 isolates) that had received ofloxacin were resistant to this antibiotic, 40% (2 of 5 isolates) that had received gatifloxacin were resistant. In contrast, 100% of cases (N=4) that had received aminoglycosides were susceptible. Few culture-confirmed cases occurred in patients who received intracameral antibiotic (N=4). CONCLUSIONS In cases where fluoroquinolones were administered as antibiotic prophylaxis, isolates demonstrated a degree of bacterial resistance. The majority of endophthalmitis cases isolated following topical antibiotic prophylaxis only and were attributed to Gram-positive organisms, while few occurred in association with intracameral antibiotic.

BackgroundNeovascular age-related macular degeneration often requires chronic therapy with anti-VEGF agents, and patients with recurrent disease are challenging to manage.MethodsThis retrospective case series evaluates patients who were switched from bevacizumab or ranibizumab to aflibercept and then back again because of recurrent fluid on optical coherence tomography (OCT) by reporting changes in OCT measurements over the course of medication changes.ResultsTwenty-one eyes in nineteen patients received an average of 20.7 bevacizumab and/or ranibizumab injections and then an average of 7.2 aflibercept injections before being switched back to bevacizumab or ranibizumab because of recurrent fluid on OCT. Median central macular thickness improved on transition from bevacizumab or ranibizumab (317 μm) to aflibercept (285 μm; p = 0.034), then worsened over the course of aflibercept treatment (296 μm; p = 0.080), but improved again with transition from aflibercept back to bevacizumab or ranibizumab (283 μm; p = 0.016). The total volume of subretinal fluid, intraretinal fluid, and pigment epithelial detachments also decreased on transition from bevacizumab or ranibizumab (2.56 mm3) to aflibercept (2.44 mm3; p = 0.080), then worsened over the course of aflibercept treatment (3.18 mm3; p = 0.019), and improved again on transition back to bevacizumab or ranibizumab (2.11 mm3; p = 0.016).ConclusionsWhile aflibercept appears initially effective, some patients develop recurrent fluid with aflibercept that improves with transition back to bevacizumab or ranibizumab. Rotating anti-VEGF agents may be beneficial with recurrent neovascular activity.

PURPOSE To systematically analyze potential process failures related to bilateral same-day cataract surgery toward the goal of improving patient safety. SETTING Twenty-one Kaiser Permanente surgery centers, Northern California, USA. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. METHODS Quality experts performed a Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) that included an evaluation of sterile processing, pharmaceuticals, perioperative clinic and surgical center visits, and biometry. Potential failures in human factors and communication (modes) were identified. Rates of endophthalmitis, toxic anterior segment syndrome (TASS), and unintended intraocular lens (IOL) implantation were assessed in eyes having bilateral same-day surgery from 2010 through 2014. RESULTS The study comprised 4754 eyes. The analysis identified 15 significant potential failure modes. These included lapses in instrument processing and compounding error of intracameral antibiotic that could lead to endophthalmitis or TASS and ambiguous documentation of IOL selection by surgeons, which could lead to unintended IOL implantation. Of the study sample, 1 eye developed endophthalmitis, 1 eye had unintended IOL implantation (rates, 2 per 10 000; 95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.1–12.0 per 10 000), and no eyes developed TASS (upper 95% CI, 8 per 10 000). Recommendations included improving oversight of cleaning and sterilization practices, separating lots of compounded drugs for each eye, and enhancing IOL verification procedures. CONCLUSIONS Potential failure modes and recommended actions in bilateral same-day cataract surgery were determined using a FMEA. These findings might help improve the reliability and safety of bilateral same-day cataract surgery based on current evidence and standards.