J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2012 Feb;53(2):276-282.

Combined Therapy of Intravitreal Bevacizumab and Posterior Subtenon Triamcinolone Injection in Macular Edema with Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion

• Cho A
• Choi KS
• Rhee MR
• Lee SJ

Abstract

PURPOSE
To compare the clinical outcomes of intravitreal bevacizumab with and without posterior subtenon triamcinolone acetonide injections for macular edema with branch retinal vein occlusion.
METHODS
Intravitreal bevacizumab injection (single group) or intravitreal bevacizumab injection with posterior subtenon triamcinolone acetonide injection (combined group) were performed in 30 eyes each, and intravitreal bevacizumab injection was given once a month in both groups until macular edema was in the normal range. A best corrected visual acuity and central macular thickness were measured pre- and post-injection.
RESULTS
The required number of injections to achieve improved macular edema in the normal range was 2.8 +/- 0.5 times in the single group and 2.0 +/- 0.6 times in the combined group. Six months after injection, average central macular thickness decreased to 185.3 +/- 63.5 microm in the single group and to 260.0 +/- 74.6 microm in the combined group. The best corrected visual acuity (log MAR) improved from 0.71 +/- 0.63 to 0.35 +/- 0.44 in the single group and from 0.67 +/- 0.42 to 0.08 +/- 0.11 in the combined group. The number of cases in which the central macular thickness increased again within 6 months after the injections was 19 eyes in the single group and 6 eyes in the combined group.
CONCLUSIONS
In macular edema with branch retinal vein occlusion, early rapid recovery of visual acuity and decrease of central macular thickness were observed due to the synergistic effect of bevacizumab and triamcinolone acetonide in combined therapy, and the recurrence frequency of macular edema was reduced by the long-term effect instilled by the long half-life of triamcinolone acetonide.

Keyword

Bevacizumab; Branch retinal occlusion; Combined therapy; Macular edema; Triamcinolone

MeSH Terms

Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
Eye
Half-Life
Macular Edema
Recurrence
Reference Values
Retinal Vein
Retinal Vein Occlusion
Retinaldehyde
Triamcinolone
Triamcinolone Acetonide
Visual Acuity
Bevacizumab
Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
Retinaldehyde
Triamcinolone
Triamcinolone Acetonide

Figure

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  Figure 1 The changed of mean visual acuity (log MAR) of bevacizumab group and combined group in patients with macular edema associated with branch retinal vein occlusion.

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  Figure 2 The changes of central macular thickness of triamcinolone group and bevacizumab group in patients with macular edema associated with branch retinal vein occlusion.

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