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Study shows nepafenac improves outcomes after cataract surgery in patients with diabetic retinopathy
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TORONTO — Nepafenac ophthalmic suspension 0.1% demonstrated improved outcomes compared with vehicle in preventing macular edema following cataract surgery in patients with diabetic retinopathy, a presenter said.
Cystoid macular edema (CME) is a common cause of poor visual outcome following uneventful cataract surgery, Rishi P. Singh, MD, said at the American Society of Retina Specialists meeting, and postsurgical macular changes are more likely to occur in patients with preexisting retinopathies.
Rishi P. Singh
“CME can occur in up to 35% of patients who have diabetic retinopathy who undergo uncomplicated surgery,” Singh said.
In the multicenter, randomized, double-masked, vehicle-controlled, parallel group study, 260 patients were randomized to receive either nepafenac or vehicle and were followed for 90 days. All patients also received prednisolone acetate four times a day for 2 weeks after surgery, with the investigator’s discretion to continue it thereafter.
In the nepafenac group, macular edema occurred in 3.2% of patients at 90 days compared with 16.7% of patients in the vehicle group (P < .001). Regarding visual acuity, in the nepafenac arm, 56.8% gained three lines vs. 41.9% in the vehicle arm. Only 2.5% in the nepafenac arm lost five letters of acuity vs. 11.5% in the vehicle arm.
“Nepafenac demonstrated improved outcomes in comparison to the vehicle in preventing macular edema and maintaining visual acuity in patients with diabetic retinopathy following cataract surgery,” Sing said.
In Europe, nepafenac 0.1% is already indicated for the reduction in the risk of developing macular edema associated with cataract surgery in patients with diabetes, he said.
Disclosure: Singh is a consultant for Alcon, which provided grant funding for the study.