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Study: Laser treatment has better results than triamcinolone in DME patients at 2 years

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WAILEA, Hawaii — By 2 years, greater visual acuity benefit and fewer side effects were seen in laser-treated eyes with diabetic macular edema than in eyes treated with 4-mg intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide, according to a study presented here.

The multicenter, randomized clinical trial designed by the Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network was undertaken to compare efficacy and safety of preservative-free intravitreal triamcinolone (1 mg or 4 mg) with focal/grid laser treatment.

Michael S. Ip, MD, said at the American Society of Retina Specialists meeting that 693 subjects were enrolled in the study for 3 years. Early results showed intravitreal triamcinolone treatment improved visual acuity, but the 2-year results showed more visual acuity benefit in the laser-treated group.

"These results reaffirm the importance of laser photocoagulation in the management of diabetic macular edema," Dr. Ip said.

Regarding the choice of 4 mg of triamcinolone, Dr. Ip said, "I think that had we gone with a higher dose, we would have gotten more side effects of cataract and glaucoma, obviously, and I do not think we would have gotten better efficacy."