The Effect of Intravitreal Triamcinolone Acetonide on Intraocular Pressure in Uveitis

Lee, Sang Joon; Jin, Jung Hak; Kim, Shin Dong

Abstract

PURPOSE: We performed a retrospective study to investigate intraocular pressure (IOP) changes after an intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA) in uveitic patients and to compare them with those of other diseases.
METHODS
We reviewed 12 patients (17 eyes) who were diagnosed with uveitis and treated by oral and topical steroid, and then triamcinolone acetonide injection into the vitreous cavity in our hospital from March 2003 to April 2005. We evaluated IOP changes of uveitic patients and compared them with those of diabetic retinopathy (DR, 21 eyes), branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO, 11 eyes), and age-related macular degeneration (AMD, five eyes) who were also treated by IVTA.
RESULTS
The elevation of IOP (p=0.042) and maximum IOP (p=0.003) were statistically significantly different in uveitic patients compared to those in other patients (DR, BRVO, and AMD). The mean age was not statistically significantly different between the IOP elevated group and not-elevated group in uveitic patients, although IOP was significantly increased in patients over 40 years old (p=0.04). IOP was more elevated in uveitic patients with a short attack duration (p=0.03). The duration required for developing an elevated IOP ranged from one to ten weeks after IVTA treatment in uveitic patients, and two eyes received glaucoma surgery because of poorly controlled IOP.
CONCLUSIONS
IVTA in uveitc patients is a useful method to reduce inflammation, but IOP elevation is more common in uveitc patients than in other disease (DR, BRVO, AMD), and may develop until ten weeks after treatment, so an extended follow-up schedule is recommended.