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

Content Provider	Europe PMC
Author	Aljundi, Wissam Suffo, Shady Munteanu, Cristian Langenbucher, Achim Seitz, Berthold Abdin, Alaa Din
Copyright Year	2022
Abstract	PurposeTo 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 MethodsA 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.ResultsCMT 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).ConclusionRegardless 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.
Page Count	9
ISSN	11775467
Volume Number	16
PubMed Central reference number	PMC8765541
PubMed reference number	35058686
Journal	Clinical Ophthalmology (Auckland, N.Z.) [Clin Ophthalmol]
e-ISSN	11775483
DOI	10.2147/OPTH.S346065
Language	English
Publisher	Dove
Publisher Date	2022-01-14
Access Restriction	Open
Rights License	This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution – Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/). By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms (https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php). © 2022 Aljundi et al.
Subject Keyword	proliferative diabetic retinopathy diabetic macular edema intravitreal injection panretinal photocoagulation anti-VEGF steroids
Content Type	Text
Resource Type	Article
Subject	Ophthalmology