Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents on patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) of vitrectomized eyes.
Subjects and methods: The study included 117 eyes of 99 patients (60 male and 57 female eyes; mean age: 66.2±11.3 years) who were diagnosed with DME at Nishikasai Inouye Eye Hospital, Tokyo, between March 2015 and May 2017 and then administered intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF agents. Using a review chart, we retrospectively investigated visual acuity and central retinal thickness measured by optical coherence tomography from prior to administration to 6 months after initial administration.
Results: There were 101 (86.3%) non-vitrectomized eyes and 16 (13.7%) vitrectomized eyes at the time of initial administration. The investigation of the number of injections during the observation period indicated that a single injection was administered to 59 eyes (50.4%), whereas two or more injections were administered to 58 eyes (49.6%). The mean number of doses was 1.71. Mean logMAR for non-vitrectomized and vitrectomized eyes was 0.38±0.30 and 0.46±0.26, respectively, prior to administration and 0.35±0.38 and 0.38±0.30, respectively, at 6 months after initial administration, indicating no significant difference between the non-vitrectomized and vitrectomized eyes. Mean central retinal thickness for non-vitrectomized and vitrectomized eyes was 449.9±153.5 and 509.6±157.6 μm, respectively, prior to administration and 341.7±124.6 and 369.1±123.2 μm, respectively, at 6 months after initial administration, indicating no significant difference in the level of improvement between the non-vitrectomized and vitrectomized eyes (p<0.01, p<0.01)).
Conclusion: The administration of intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF agents to vitrectomized eyes may be effective in patients with DME.
Nippon Ganka Gakkai Zasshi (J Jpn Ophthalmol Soc) 123: 115-120, 2019.