Dexamethasone implant associated with significantly improved visual acuity in DME patients

Issue: April 10, 2017

Patients with recalcitrant diabetic macular edema experienced significant mean gains in visual acuity after being treated with an intravitreal sustained-release dexamethasone implant, according to a study.

A meta-analysis of 15 studies, including 3,859 patients, assessed the effect of Ozurdex (dexamethasone intravitreal implant 0.7 mg, Allergan) on DME. All of the studies included patients with DME who had experienced unsuccessful previous treatment with anti-VEGF therapy.

The primary outcome of the study was the mean change in best corrected visual acuity after dexamethasone treatment. Patients treated with dexamethasone gained a mean of four lines, or 20 ETDRS letters, at a mean follow-up of 6 months.

Patients experienced significant improvement in BCVA with dexamethasone despite already receiving multiple anti-VEGF treatments.

“Treatment with Ozurdex is associated with a significant mean improvement in visual acuity of four lines (20 ETDRS letters) in cases of DME refractory to anti-VEGF therapy. Clinicians should be aware of patients who are responding inferiorly to anti-VEGF and consider corticosteroid therapy to improve visual acuity outcomes. The modern era of DME therapy requires astute clinicians able to embrace multiple modalities to treat cases of diabetic macular edema,” the study authors wrote. – by Robert Linnehan

Disclosure: Khan reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the study for all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.

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Source:

Khan Z, et al. Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2016;doi:10.3928/23258160-20170130-10.