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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2020 Jun 1;138(6):634-642.
doi: 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2020.0997.

Effect of Face-Down Positioning vs Support-the-Break Positioning After Macula-Involving Retinal Detachment Repair: The PostRD Randomized Clinical Trial

Edward J Casswell  1 , David Yorston  2 , Edward Lee  1 , Tjebo F C Heeren  1 , Nicola Harris  1 , Tapiwa Margaret Zvobgo  1 , Sonali Tarafdar  2 , Wen Xing  1 , Elli Bourmpaki  3 , Catey Bunce  3 , Pearse Keane  1 , David G Charteris  1
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Effect of Face-Down Positioning vs Support-the-Break Positioning After Macula-Involving Retinal Detachment Repair: The PostRD Randomized Clinical Trial

Edward J Casswell et al. JAMA Ophthalmol. .

Abstract

Importance: A lack of consensus exists with regard to the optimal positioning regimen for patients after macula-involving retinal detachment (RD) repair.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of face-down positioning vs support-the-break positioning on retinal displacement and distortion after macula-involving RD repair.

Design, setting, and participants: A prospective 6-month single-masked randomized clinical trial was conducted at a multicenter tertiary referral setting from May 16, 2016, to May 1, 2018. Inclusion criteria were fovea-involving rhegmatogenous RD; central visual loss within 14 days; patients undergoing primary vitrectomy and gas surgery, under local anesthetic; patients able to give written informed consent; and 18 years old and older. Analysis was conducted following a modified intention-to-treat principle, with patients experiencing a redetachment or failure to attach the macula being excluded from analysis.

Interventions: Participants were randomized 1:1 to receive face-down positioning or support-the-break positioning for a 24-hour period postoperatively. Positioning compliance was not monitored.

Main outcomes and measures: The proportion of patients with retinal displacement on autofluorescence imaging at 6 months postoperatively. Secondary outcomes included proportion of patients with displacement at 2 months; amplitude of displacement at 2 and 6 months; corrected Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study visual acuity; objective Distortion Scores; and quality of life questionnaire scores at 6 months.

Results: Of the 262 randomized patients, 239 were analyzed (171 male [71.5%]; mean [SD] age, 60.8 [9.8] years). At 6 months, retinal displacement was detected in 42 of 100 (42%) in the face-down positioning group vs 58 of 103 (56%) in the support-the-break positioning group (odds ratio, 1.77; 95%CI, 1.01-3.11; P = .04). The degree of displacement was lower in the face-down group. Groups were similar in corrected visual acuity (face-down, 74 letters vs support-the-break, 75 letters), objective D Chart Distortion Scores (range: 0, no distortion to 41.6, severe distortion; with face-down at 4.5 vs support-the-break at 4.2), and quality of life scores (face-down 89.3 vs support-the-break 89.0) at 2 and 6 months. Retinal redetachment rate was similar in both groups (face-down group, 12.2% and support-the-break group, 13.7%). Retinal folds were less common in the face-down positioning group vs the support-the-break positioning group (5.3% vs 13.5%, respectively; odds ratio, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.2-7.4; P = .03). Binocular diplopia was more common in the support-the-break group compared with the face-down positioning group (7.6% vs 1.5%, respectively; odds ratio, 5.3; 95% CI, 1.3-24.6; P = .03). Amplitude of displacement was associated with worse visual acuity (r = -0.5; P < .001) and distortion (r = 0.28; P = .008).

Conclusions and relevance: In this study, findings suggest that face-down positioning was associated with a reduction in the rate and amplitude of postoperative retinal displacement after macula-involving RD repair and with a reduction in binocular diplopia. No association was found with visual acuity or postoperative distortion.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02748538.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Dr Casswell reported grants from Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh) and grants from Special Trustees of Moorfields Eye Hospital during the conduct of the study. Dr Zvobgo reported grants from Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh and grants from Moorfields Special Trustees during the conduct of the study. Dr Xing reported grants from The Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh) and grants from Moorfields Special Trustees during the conduct of the study. Dr Keane reported grants from National Institute for Health Research, personal fees from Roche, personal fees from Novartis, personal fees from Apellis, personal fees from Topcon, personal fees from Bayer, personal fees from Allergan, and personal fees from Heidelberg Engineering outside the submitted work. No other disclosures were reported.

Figures

Figure.
Figure.. Patient Flow Diagram
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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