Intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide and laser photocoagulation for diabetic macular edema

Objective To evaluate the clinical outcome of intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide(IVTA) combined with laser photocoagulation for diffuse diabetic macular edema(DME).Methods Thirty eyes of 24 patients with macular edema were randomly divided into two groups: the simple laser photocoagulation group(n=15) and the laser combination with IVTA-photocoagulation group(n=15).Eyes in the combination group were subjected to laser photocoagulation one week after 4 mg IVTA.The best-corrected visual acuity,foveal thickness(FT)(by optical coherence tomography) and postoperative complications were compared between the two groups.Results Baseline VA and FT was respectively 0.10±0.09 and 518.1±117.5 μm in the photocoagulation group and 0.11±0.120 and 524.9±147.4 μm in the combination group,which was not statistically significant between the two groups.Visual acuity was improved and FT was reduced in the two groups.BCVA was 0.19±0.16 and 0.23±0.18 at 3 months and 0.17±0.13 and 0.28±0.15 at 6 months after treatments,FT was 324.1±115.2 μm and 279.4±98.8 μm at 3 months and 354.1±121.2 μm and 248.4±102.6 μm at 6 months after treatments,for the laser photocoagulation group and combined group,respectively(P0.001).2 cases had an increased transitory intraocular pressure and were controlled by drugs,and 1 case had cataract progression in the combination group.Conclusion IVTA combined with laser photocoagulation is superior to simple laser photocoagulation in improving VA and reducing FT.