This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Diabetic retinopathy research group seeks to expand
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
CHICAGO — A nationwide collaborative group of physicians dedicated to research into the ocular complications of diabetes is seeking more members. Speaking here, one participant in the group urged physicians to join the Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network and share their expertise.
“The potential for benefits for patient care that might be achieved by all of you through this effort are vast,” said Lloyd P. Aiello, MD, PhD. He presented an update on the Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network (DRCR.net) and its achievements to date here at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting.
“The objective is the development of a cooperative network to facilitate multicenter clinical research on diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, and associated conditions,” Dr. Aiello said.
The DRCR.net (www.DRCR.net), a National Eye Institute-sponsored cooperative, was initiated in 2002. Neil Bressler, MD, has been selected as chairman-elect of the group for 2006, Dr. Aiello said.
DRCR.net initiatives include involvement of community and academic partners, collaboration with industry, and standardization of information to optimize trial and site efficiency, Dr. Aiello said.
Currently the network includes 155 study sites in 43 states. More than 900 patients overall are enrolled in trials undertaken by the group.
In the past 3 years, seven trial protocols have been developed, one has been completed, four are currently under way and two are pending approvals by institutional review boards, Dr. Aiello said.
The DRCR.net trial protocols include a pilot study of laser photocoagulation for diabetic macular edema (DME), a randomized trial comparing intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide to laser photocoagulation for DME, an evaluation of vitrectomy for DME, a pilot study of peribulbar triamcinolone acetonide for DME, and an observational study of the development of DME following scatter laser photocoagulation. One protocol that has been completed is a study of temporal variation in optical coherence tomography measurements of retinal thickening in DME.