In a nutshell
This study compared two types of intravitreal injection for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME). It found that a course of bevacizumab (Avastin) injections resulted in a greater improvement in vision than a course of triamcinolone (Kenalog) injections.
Some background
DME is a major cause of sight loss in diabetic patients It is caused by fluid building up at the back of the eye. It is usually treated with intravitreal injections, which are injections into the vitreous jelly of the eye. There are different types of intravitreal injections, including bevacizumab and triamcinolone. Bevacizumab is a targeted therapy that reduces the formation of new blood vessels in the eye. This also reduces the buildup of fluid in the eye. Triamcinolone is a corticosteroid that reduces inflammation. It is not clear which of these drugs injected into the eye is more effective at improving DME.
Methods & findings
This study reviewed the results of 17 previous studies, involving 1,243 eyes from diabetic patients. All eyed had DME and had been treated with either single or repeated injections of bevacizumab, triamcinolone, or both bevacizumab and triamcinolone.
Eyes that were treated with repeated bevacizumab injections gained an average of 4-5 letters more vision on the vision chart than eyes treated with triamcinolone.
The bottom line
This study showed that a course of bevacizumab injections may be more effective than a course of triamcinolone injections for treating DME.
The fine print
Some of the studies included in this study were of variable quality. More studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Published By :
PLOS ONE
Date :
Jan 13, 2021
