Intravitreal Injection for Diabetic Macular Edema as Adjunctive Therapy for Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy: A Retrospective Study

Content Provider	Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)
Author	Seitz B. Munteanu C. Abdin AD Suffo S. Aljundi W. Langenbucher A.
Abstract	Wissam Aljundi,1 Shady Suffo,1 Cristian Munteanu,1 Achim Langenbucher,2 Berthold Seitz,1 Alaa Din Abdin1 1Department of Ophthalmology, Saarland University Medical Center UKS, Homburg, Saar, Germany; 2Institute of Experimental Ophthalmology, Saarland University, Homburg, Saar, GermanyCorrespondence: Wissam Aljundi, Tel +4968411622387, Fax +4968411622400, Email wissam.aljundi@uks.euPurpose: To detect the impact of intravitreal injection (IVI) therapy with sole anti-vascular-endothelial-growth-factor (VEGF) or combined with steroids treating diabetic macular edema (DME) on activity of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) based on total number of panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) spots needed within 2 years.Patients and Methods: A retrospective study of 102 eyes with primary-onset PDR and minimum follow-up of 24 months divided into 2 groups: Group 1 (G1) 40 eyes received only PRP and did not develop DME. Group 2 (G2) 62 eyes received additional IVI-therapy due to concomitant DME, with anti-VEGF only (subgroup 2a, G2a) or in combination with steroids (subgroup 2b, G2b). Main outcomes: central macular thickness (CMT, μm), best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA, LogMAR) and total number of needed PRP spots and IVI after 24 months.Results: CMT was significantly higher in G2 compared to G1, initially (p < 0.01) and after 24 months (p = 0.01). CMT was significantly higher in G2b compared to G2a, both initially (p = 0.01) and after 24 months (p < 0.01). BCVA was significantly higher in G1 compared to G2, initially and after 24 months (p = 0.01). BCVA was not significantly different between the two subgroups, initially (p = 0.54) and after 24 months (p = 0.29). The total number of PRP spots was significantly higher in G1 compared to G2 (p < 0.01) but not significantly different between the subgroups (p = 0.8).Conclusion: Regardless of severity of concomitant DME, IVI with sole anti-VEGF or combined with steroids reduced the total number of PRP spots needed within 2 years significantly indicating a favorable effect on activity of PDR.Keywords: proliferative diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, intravitreal injection, panretinal photocoagulation, anti-VEGF, steroids
Related Links	https://www.dovepress.com/intravitreal-injection-for-diabetic-macular-edema-as-adjunctive-therap-peer-reviewed-fulltext-article-OPTH
ISSN	11775467
e-ISSN	11775483
Journal	Clinical Ophthalmology
Volume Number	16
Language	English
Publisher	Dove Medical Press
Publisher Date	2022-01-01
Publisher Place	United Kingdom
Access Restriction	Open
Subject Keyword	Ophthalmology Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy Diabetic Macular Edema Intravitreal Injection Panretinal Photocoagulation Anti-vegf Steroids
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Ophthalmology