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The following is a summary of “Immediate response to intravitreal treatment for macular edema due to diabetes and retinal vein occlusion,” published in the May 2024 issue of Ophthalmology by Ratra et al.

Researchers conducted a retrospective study evaluating the immediate effects of various intravitreal treatments on macular edema. 

They compared patients with macular edema from diabetic retinopathy (DME) or vein occlusion. Patients received intravitreal injections of either steroid (triamcinolone acetonide (TA) or dexamethasone) or anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) antibodies. Central retinal thickness (CRT) and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were measured one day before and after treatment. 

The results showed that 79 eyes from 57 patients were studied, with 51 having DME, 18 with branch retinal vein occlusion edema (BRVO-ME), and 10 with central retinal vein occlusion edema (CRVO-ME). Treatment included TA (n=15), dexamethasone sustained release implant (DEX) (n=22), ranibizumab (n=19),  and bevacizumab (n=23). All injections showed significant CRT improvement (P<0.05), with the TA group having the highest BCVA  improvement (P=0.009). The mean change in CRT was also higher in steroids than with anti-VEGFs: 159.47 µ in TA, 115.45 µ in DEX, 86.10 µ in ranibizumab, and 78.78 µ in the bevacizumab group. A minor change occurred in spongy macular edema (18.73 µ), while the mean BCVA improvement was only significant in the cystoid group (P= 0.01).

Investigators concluded that steroids had a quicker response than anti-VEGFs, especially TA. Cystoid edema responded better than spongy thickening to immediate treatment.

Source: journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/11206721241255721