PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy between macular laser grid (MLG) photocoagulation and MLG plus intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA; MLG+IVTA) therapy in diabetic macular edema (DME) patients. METHODS: A prospective, randomized, clinical trial was conducted of DME patients. A total of 60 eyes (54 patients) affected by DME were observed for a minimum of 6 months. Thirty eyes of 28 patients who received MLG treatment and 30 eyes of 26 patients who received the combined MLG+IVTA treatment were included in the study. Main outcome measures were BCVA and central macular thickness (CMT) as measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT) at 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment. Additionally, the authors examined retrospectively 20 eyes of 20 patients who were treated with only IVTA and compared with the 2 groups (MLG group and MLG+IVTA group). RESULTS: Baseline BCVA was 0.53+/-0.32 and CMT was 513.9+/-55.1 microm in the MLG group. At 1 and 3 months after treatment, the MLG group showed no significant improvement of BCVA and CMT, although there was significant improvement after 6 months. In the MLG+IVTA group, the baseline BCVA was 0.59+/-0.29 and CMT was 498.2+/-19.8 microm. After treatment, significant improvement of BCVA and CMT was observed at all follow-up time periods. When comparing the MLG group with the MLG+IVTA group, the latter had better results after 1 and 3 months, although at 6 months, there was no significant difference of BCVA and CMT between the 2 groups. Additionally, the IVTA group showed more improvement than the MLG group at 1 and 3 months but showed no significant difference at 6 months. In addition, the IVTA group showed no significant difference with the MLG+IVTA group at all follow-up time periods. CONCLUSIONS: For DME patients, the combined MLG+IVTA treatment had a better therapeutic effect than the MLG treatment for improving BCVA and CMT at the early follow-up time periods. IVTA treatment alone could be an additional alternative therapeutic option to combined therapy.
Aged ; Diabetic Retinopathy/*drug therapy/pathology/physiopathology/*surgery ; Follow-Up Studies ; Glucocorticoids/*administration & dosage ; Humans ; Injections ; *Laser Coagulation ; Macular Edema/*drug therapy/pathology/physiopathology/*surgery ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Period ; Tomography, Optical Coherence ; Triamcinolone Acetonide/*administration & dosage ; Visual Acuity ; Vitreous Body

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy of posterior sub-Tenon's capsule triamcinolone acetonide injection combined with modified grid macular photocoagulation (PSTI + MP) with intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA) injection in the treatment of diffuse diabetic macular edema (DME). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty eyes of 33 patients with diffuse DME were randomly allocated into either PSTI + MP (20 eyes) or IVTA (20 eyes). Best corrected visual acuity (VA) and foveal thickness were measured. RESULTS: The ETDRS scores at baseline were 25.2 +/- 13.6 (mean +/- SD) letters in the PSTI + MP group, whereas 21.7 +/- 16.3 letters in the IVTA group. The ETDRS scores improved by 33.2 +/- 15.9, 34.7 +/- 16.6 and 30.9 +/- 19.0 letters in the PSTI + MP group whereas by 30.9 +/- 15.4, 30.1 +/- 17.9 and 31.5 +/- 15.0 letters in the IVTA group at 1, 3, and 6 months after the treatments, respectively. The VA improved significantly at 1 month and 3 months after both treatments (all p < 0.02, paired t-test). The VA improvements were no longer significant at 6 months in either group. There were no statistically significant differences at any time points between the 2 groups (all p > 0.05, Student's t-test). The foveal thicknesses at baseline and 1, 3, and 6 months after the treatments were 382.8 +/- 148.3, 309.1 +/- 131.3, 319.3 +/- 93.3, 340.4 +/- 123.5micrometer (mean +/- SD) in the PSTI + MP group vs. 369.1 +/- 123.1, 241.4 +/- 52.3, 277.5 +/- 137.4, 290.2 +/- 127.9micrometer in the IVTA group, respectively. Pairwise comparisons revealed significant decrease in foveal thickness at 1 month (p = 0.01, paired t-test) for the PSTI + MP group, and at both 1 month (p < 0.001) and 3 months (p = 0.016) for the IVTA group. There were no statistically significant differences at any time points between the 2 groups (all p > 0.05, Student's t-test). In contrast to the PSTI + MP group, where no complications were noted, the elevation of intra-ocular pressure in 3 of 20 eyes (15%) and a significant increase in average cataract grading were observed in the IVTA group. CONCLUSION: PSTI + MP treatment provides significant improvement of vision in patients with diffuse DME over 3 months, and achieves outcomes comparable to those after IVTA treatment, however, with fewer complications.
Adult ; Aged ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/administration & dosage ; Diabetic Retinopathy/*drug therapy/physiopathology/*surgery ; Female ; Fovea Centralis/pathology ; Humans ; *Laser Coagulation ; Macular Edema/complications/*drug therapy/physiopathology/*surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Triamcinolone/*administration & dosage ; Visual Acuity ; Vitreous Body

PURPOSE: To evaluate therapeutic effects and usefulness of a combination treatment of intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA) and panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) in patients with clinically significant macular edema secondary to proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). METHODS: Visual acuity test, fundoscopy, fluorescein angiography, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were taken in 20 patients (20 eyes) of macular edema and PDR. A combination of intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide and PRP was performed in 10 patients (10 eyes) and a combination of focal or grid laser photocoaqulation and PRP in the remaining 10 eyes. The postoperative outcomes were compared between the two combination treatments by best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), tonometry, fluorescein angiography, and OCT at 2 weeks, 1, 2, and 3 months. RESULTS: Average BCVA (log MAR) significantly improved from preoperative 0.56+/-0.20 to 0.43+/-0.08 at 1 month (P=0.042) and it was maintained until 3 months after a combination of IVTA and PRP in 10 eyes (P=0.007). The thickness of fovea decreased from average 433.3+/-114.9 micrometer to average 279.5+/-34.1 micrometer at 2 weeks after combined treatment of IVTA and PRP (P=0.005), which was significantly maintained until 3 months, but there was a transient visual disturbance and no significant difference in thickness of the fovea before and after treatment in the groups with PRP and focal or grid laser photocoagulation. CONCLUSIONS: A combination of IVTA and PRP might be an effective treatment modality in the treatment of macular edema and PDR and prevent the subsequent PRP-induced macular edema result in visual dysfunction. In combination with PRP, IVTA might be more effective than focal or grid laser photocoagulation and PRP for reducing diabetic macular edema and preventing aggravation of macular edema without transient visual disturbance in patients requiring immediate PRP.
Vitreous Body ; Triamcinolone Acetonide/*administration & dosage/therapeutic use ; Treatment Outcome ; Middle Aged ; Macular Edema, Cystoid/*drug therapy/etiology/*surgery ; *Laser Coagulation ; Injections ; Humans ; Glucocorticoids/*administration & dosage/therapeutic use ; Diabetic Retinopathy/*complications ; Aged

A 73-year-old woman underwent vitrectomy and intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA) of the right eye and cataract surgery with IVTA of the left eye, for bilateral diabetic macular edema. The patient presented with visual loss in both eyes three-months postoperatively. The fundoscopic examination revealed white-yellow, necrotic peripheral lesions in the superotemporal quadrant of both eyes. Although bilateral acute retinal necrosis was suspected, azotemia resulting from diabetic nephropathy limited the use of acyclovir. Antiviral treatment was not started. A sample of the aqueous humor for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis was obtained. One week later, the PCR results indicated the presence of cytomegalovirus (CMV). Since the retinal lesions did not progress and did not threaten the macula, the patient was followed without treatment for CMV. The retinal lesions progressively regressed and completely resolved in both eyes by six months of follow-up. Patients with IVTA-induced CMV retinitis may not require systemic treatment with ganciclovir.
Aged ; Cataract Extraction ; Cytomegalovirus Retinitis/*etiology ; Diabetic Retinopathy/drug therapy/surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Intravitreal Injections ; Opportunistic Infections/*etiology ; Remission, Spontaneous ; Steroids/administration & dosage/*adverse effects ; Triamcinolone Acetonide/administration & dosage/*adverse effects ; Vitrectomy

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of vitrectomy combined with intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA) and macular laser photocoagulation for the treatment of nontractional diabetic macular edema (DME) refractory to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy. METHODS: Twenty-eight eyes from 28 subjects who were diagnosed with nontractional DME refractory to three or more sequential anti-VEGF injections underwent sequential vitrectomy, IVTA, and macular laser photocoagulation. Changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central subfield thickness (CST) during the six months following vitrectomy were evaluated. Additionally, the CST and BCVA outcomes were compared with those of 26 eyes treated with the same triple therapy for nontractional DME refractory to conventional treatment, such as IVTA or macular laser photocoagulation, or both. RESULTS: The mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution BCVAs before and one, three, and six months after vitrectomy were 0.44 +/- 0.15, 0.36 +/- 0.18, 0.31 +/- 0.14, and 0.34 +/- 0.22, respectively. The mean CSTs were 433.3 +/- 77.9, 329.9 +/- 59.4, 307.2 +/- 60.2, and 310.1 +/- 80.1 microns, respectively. The values of both BCVA and CST at one, three, and six months were significantly improved from baseline (p < 0.05). The extent of CST reduction during the first month after triple therapy was greater in eyes refractory to conventional treatment than in eyes refractory to anti-VEGF (p = 0.012). CONCLUSIONS: Vitrectomy combined with IVTA and macular laser photocoagulation had a beneficial effect on both anatomical and functional outcomes in eyes with nontractional DME refractory to anti-VEGF therapy.
Aged ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Diabetic Retinopathy/*drug therapy/*surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents/administration & dosage ; Intravitreal Injections ; Light Coagulation/*methods ; Macula Lutea/drug effects/surgery ; Macular Edema/*drug therapy/*surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Triamcinolone Acetonide/*administration & dosage ; Vitrectomy/*methods

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of tramadol for the reduction of pain in panretinal photocoagulation (PRP). METHODS: A double-masked randomized controlled study was performed. Fifty-eight eyes in 29 patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy were enrolled. The eyes of the patients were randomized into two groups. Group A received an empty capsule. Group B received an oral intake of 100 mg tramadol. The capsule used in Group A had the same appearance as that used in Group B. Pain during PRP was assessed using a visual analog scale. Vital signs, including blood pressure and heart rate, were measured. RESULTS: The mean pain scores for groups A and B were 4.80+/-2.10 and 3.83+/-1.82 (p=0.09). There were no significant differences in the mean pain scores between the two groups. More patients in group A complained of greater pain than moderate intensity (visual analogue scale=4). Systemic blood pressure increased significantly in group A after laser treatment. However, there were no significant differences in the diastolic blood pressure changes between the two groups. We found no statistical correlation in the heart rate changes. CONCLUSIONS: We failed to prove that tramadol is effective for pain relief because of the small sample size. However, tramadol was effective for the relief of more severe pain. It was also found to stabilize vital sign changes, such as systolic blood pressure during PRP.
Administration, Oral ; Adult ; Aged ; Analgesia/*methods ; Analgesics, Opioid/*administration & dosage ; Case-Control Studies ; Diabetic Retinopathy/*surgery ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Double-Blind Method ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Laser Coagulation/*methods ; Middle Aged ; Pain/*drug therapy/physiopathology ; Pain Measurement ; Prospective Studies ; Tramadol/*administration & dosage ; Treatment Outcome ; Vitreoretinopathy, Proliferative/*surgery