Comparative characteristics of the outcomes of the use of multidirectional intravitreal pharmacotherapy in the treatment of diabetic macular edema

Abstract

Purpose. To conduct a comparative analysis of the effectiveness of intravitreal injection of dexamethasone-containing implant and aflibercept in macular edema in patients with diabetes mellitus.Material and methods. The study involved 80 patients (80 eyes) with macular edema. The group 1 included 38 patients (38 eyes) who underwent a single intravitreal injection of dexamethasone-containing biodegradable implant «Ozurdex» in a dose of 0.7 mg according to the standard technique. In the group 2, 42 patients (42 eyes) received 5 loading doses of aflibercept with an interval of one month. All patients underwent monthly spectral optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the macular area, as well as visometry and tonometry during the observation period.Results. One month after intravitreal injection of the studied drugs in both groups, no inflammatory reactions were detected in any case. According to OCT data, cystic edema of the macular area with a tendency to decrease the thickness in the fovea was preserved. After treatment with aflibercept, the average retinal thickness in the macula was 186.4±15.1 μm, and visual acuity averaged 0.48±0.05 in 85.7% of patients. During therapy with intravitreal injection of Ozurdex, an increase in visual acuity was noted in 89.4% of patients.Conclusion. This study found that intravitreal pharmacotherapy with an angiogenesis blocker and a dexamethasone implant in patients with diabetic macular edema are comparable in its effectiveness – 85.7 and 89.4% respectively. If systematic anti-angiogenesis therapy is not possible for a number of reasons, it is advisable to use a prolonged dexamethasone implant.

Keywords

• macular edema
• intravitreal pharmacotherapy
• angiogenesis inhibitor
• implant with dexamethasone