Study: Ranibizumab safe for DME patients, with stipulations

Researchers reported in a recent Retina study that treating diabetic macular edema with ranibizumab is safe when used as needed on certain patients.

Yanagida and colleagues also found that injecting ranibizumab on a pro re nata basis decreased the risk of mortality.

Researchers evaluated six trials comprising 2,459 participants for their observational meta-analysis. They included only randomized trials that provided reports of systemic adverse events, including cerebrovascular accident, myocardial infarction, vascular death and mortality, as detailed in the study.

Analysis showed the following risk ratios: 0.80 for cerebrovascular accident, 0.91 for myocardial infarction, 1.29 for vascular death and 1.92 for mortality. Researchers also noted that the largest trial included, in which patients received monthly ranibizumab injections, showed a dose-dependent increase in mortality, according to the study. When those results were combined with the other trials, which administered ranibizumab on a pro re nata basis, there was no longer any significance.

"The present meta-analysis confirmed favorable systemic safety in ranibizumab treatment for DME, although careful selection of patients based on systemic vascular conditions is necessary, and treatment is based on as-needed protocol," the authors concluded. "The safety issue for patients with higher risk and longer period of intensive treatment needs further assessment in the future."

Published by:

Sources/Disclosures

Collapse

Source:

Retina. 2014; doi: 10.1097/IAE.0000000000000116.