Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27339266›Full record

ArticleOphthalmology and therapy2016

Assessing Patients with Asymptomatic Retinal Emboli Detected at Retinal Screening.

Afsara A Ahmmed, Peter E Carey, David H W Steel, Teresa Sandinha

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Ophthalmology and therapy, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact, top 90% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Afsara A AhmmedThe Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. a.a.ahmmed@newcastle.ac.uk.
Peter E CareyDepartment of Metabolic Medicine, Sunderland Royal Hospital, Sunderland, UK.
David H W SteelSunderland Eye Infirmary, Sunderland, UK.
Teresa SandinhaSunderland Eye Infirmary, Sunderland, UK.
Newcastle University · GBSunderland Eye Infirmary · GBSunderland Royal Hospital · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionAsymptomatic retinal emboli have been associated with diabetes, the presence of significant carotid artery stenosis (≥70%) and an increased risk of stroke. However, there is no clear guidance on how best to investigate and manage patients found to have asymptomatic retinal emboli. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the incidence of significant carotid artery stenosis in patients found to have asymptomatic retinal emboli at diabetic retinopathy screening, and to examine disease management approaches among these patients.

methodsPatients with new retinal emboli visible at diabetic retinopathy screening were referred to a medical retinopathy clinic and underwent examinations according to a standardized protocol, including carotid Doppler ultrasound and echocardiography. Case notes of patients referred between January 2013 and April 2014 were reviewed. Results of investigations, medication changes and the number of patients who underwent relevant surgical interventions were noted.

resultsRetinal emboli were present in 44 of 13,643 people screened (0.32%). Full data were available for 39 patients. Twenty-two patients (56%) had relevant medication changes. Nine (23%) patients had significant carotid artery stenosis. One underwent carotid endarterectomy, and eight received maximal medical therapy.

conclusionSignificant carotid artery stenosis was not uncommon in patients with incident retinal emboli at retinal screening. The referral and investigation protocols identified individuals at risk of cerebrovascular events and led to optimized management. Pathways utilizing Doppler ultrasound and physician referral should be more widely implemented.

Indexed as

Carotid artery stenosisDiabetesDiabetic retinopathy screeningRetinal emboli

Identifiers

PMID27339266
PMCPMC5125117
OpenAlexW2473472533

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.