Glaucoma, a leading cause of irreversible blindness, affects more than 64 million people worldwide and is expected to grow in number due to the aging global population and enhanced methods of detection. Although topical therapies are often effective when used as prescribed, the drawbacks of current medical management methods include poor patient adherence, local and systemic side effects, and in some cases, limited therapeutic efficacy. Novel ocular drug delivery platforms promise to deliver differentiated drug formulations with targeted delivery leveraging patient-independent administration. Several platforms are in various stages of development with promising pre-clinical and clinical data. The Bimatoprost Sustained Release (SR) intracameral implant was approved in the United States in March of 2020, making it the first long-term injectable therapy available for the treatment of glaucoma. This review aims to provide an update on novel sustained release drug delivery systems that are available today as well as those that might be commercialized in coming years.
BackgroundAtypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS), a rare thrombotic microangiopathy, is characterized by hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and acute renal failure. Caused by genetic mutations in the alternative complement cascade, aHUS often will culminate in end-stage renal disease and occasionally death. Renal transplantation in aHUS patients has been contraindicated in the past due to the recurrence risk, with certain immunosuppressive regimens being commonly attributed. In this study, we analyzed the association between aHUS and immunosuppressive agents so as to offer evidence for the use of certain immunosuppressive regimens in renal transplant recipients.Material/MethodsOur study is a retrospective analysis using data from the United States Renal Data System from 2004 to 2012. A cohort of renal transplantation patients diagnosed with aHUS were identified to include in the study. The primary endpoint was the determination of aHUS incidence in renal transplant recipients due to various immunosuppressive agents. The secondary endpoints were to check the relationship between the drug type as well as the demographic variables that increase the risk for aHUS.ResultsIt was found that there was a higher usage of sirolimus (P=0.015) and corticosteroids (P=0.030) in the aHUS patients compared to patients in other diagnoses group.ConclusionsThere was a higher usage of sirolimus and corticosteroids in renal transplantation patients diagnosed with aHUS. Unfortunately, due to the rarity of this disease, the sample size was small (n=14). Despite the small sample size, this data analysis throws light on the relationship between aHUS and immunosuppressive agents in renal transplant recipients, although we still have much to learn.
We report a case of minocycline-induced ocular ochronosis with scleral, retinal, and cutaneous manifestations. A 65-year-old male who had taken minocycline for four years to treat hidradenitis suppurativa, an inflammatory skin condition affecting the apocrine sweat glands and hair follicles, presented for evaluation of discoloration of bilateral sclera, nail beds, and gingiva. Ophthalmic evaluation revealed intact visual acuity, diffuse blue-gray hyperpigmentation of the sclera, more pronounced overlying insertions of the horizontal muscles, without any scleral thinning. Macular optical coherence tomography and fundus exam revealed a blue hue to the underlying choroid with dark deposits in the retinal pigment epithelium. Despite drug discontinuation, after six years the discoloration persisted. Management was directed towards patient tolerability.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.