Author: Almudena
Co-authors: Cristina Blanco Marchite, Francisco Lopez Martinez, Antonio Donate Tercero, Eva Gonzalez Aquino, Carlos Cava Valenciano, Santiago Perez Pascual, Sergio Copete Piqueras
Abstract
PurposeTo assess anatomical biomarkers changes after intravitreal dexamethasone implant (DEXI) in eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME), naïve and non-responders to vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors (antiVEGF).
Setting/Venue
Department of Ophthalmology. Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete (CHUA), Spain.
Methods
Retrospective real-world study conducted on consecutive DME patients who underwent with DEXI and were controlled at 2, 6 and 12 months. Subjects were divided in groups: naïve patients and non-responders to previously treated eyes with ≤3 antiVEGF injections (early switch) or >3 antiVEGF injections (late switch). Outcomes were anatomical biomarkers with spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) according to The European School for Advanced Studies in Ophthalmology (ESASO) classification.
Results
A total of 112 eyes were included in the study. At baseline, there were no statistically significant differences between gender, BCVA, CRT, type of diabetes mellitus and state of the lens. Retinal thickness (T) improved at month 2, 6 and 12 in all groups (p<0.001). There was similar size cyst (C) reduction in all groups with statistically significant differences at 2 and 6-months (p<0.001 and p=0.003, respectively, between groups). Presence of disorganization of the inner retinal layers (D) and subretinal fluid (F) improved at 12-month visit from baseline in all groups (p=0.04 at 6-month visit in both biomarkers). Hyperreflective foci (H) decreased in all groups over the study period (p< 0.01 at final visit). We found better results in D, F and H biomarkers over study period in late switch group. We did not found differences in the ellipsoid zone and/or external limiting membrane (E) and vitreoretinal relationship (V) alterations between groups in all time investigated.
Conclusions
There were similar DEXI behaviour in biomarkers in all groups with better findings in late switch group.
We have no financial disclosure
