Clinical effect and cost analysis of panretinal photocoagulation combined with Ranibizumab or triamcinolone acetonide for diabetic macular edema

Abstract

AIM: To compare clinical effects and cost of panretinal photocoagulation(PRP)combined with Ranibizumab or triamcinolone acetonide(TA)for diabetic macular edema(DME). METHODS: Forty-eight patients(48 eyes)with DME and diabetic retinopathy(DR)receiving PRP were randomly assigned to two groups, which were respectively intravitreally injected ranibizumab(0.5mg)and TA(4mg). Ranibizumab(0.5mg)was intravitreal injected every 4wk for 3 times. The effects of injection for DME were evaluated using best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA), central macular thickness(CMT)and intraocular pressure(IOP). During the follow-up, other injections were performed to eyes which had CMT greater than 400μm. The medical costs were calculated at 12wk and 24wk. RESULTS: BCVA and CMT between 2 groups were not significantly different(P>0.05); BCVA and CMT among different time points were significantly different(PPPP=0.33). There was significant difference between the two groups at 12wk and 16wk on BCVA and that injected with ranibizumab was better(P=0.03, 0.045). CMT decreased in two groups at all the time after injection(PPCONCLUSION: Both PRP combined with ranibizumab or TA for DME can effectively control disease progression in short time. Therapeutic effect is not significant between two methods, but PRP combined with TA is more economic.

Keywords

• diabetic macular edema
• ranibizumab
• triamcinolone acetonide
• intravitreal injection
• panretinal photocoagulation
• panretinal photocoagulation