BMC Ophthalmology (Feb 2022)

The effect of insulin on response to intravitreal anti-VEGF injection in diabetic macular edema in type 2 diabetes mellitus

  • Rajya L. Gurung,
  • Liesel M. FitzGerald,
  • Ebony Liu,
  • Bennet J. McComish,
  • Georgia Kaidonis,
  • Bronwyn Ridge,
  • Alex W. Hewitt,
  • Brendan JT. Vote,
  • Nitin Verma,
  • Jamie E. Craig,
  • Kathryn P. Burdon

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12886-022-02325-x
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 22, no. 1
pp. 1 – 9

Abstract

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Abstract Objectives To assess whether insulin therapy impacts the effectiveness of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injection for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME) in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods This was a retrospective multi-center analysis. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 12 months, BCVA change, central macular thickness (CMT), CMT change, and cumulative injection number were compared between the insulin and the oral hypoglycemic agent (OHA) groups. Results The mean final BCVA and CMT improved in both the insulin (N = 137; p 0.05) and baseline HbA1c (p > 0.05). Conclusion Insulin therapy does not alter treatment outcomes for anti-VEGF therapy in DME.

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