Lashay et al - Intravitreal TA on CME Iranian Journal of Ophthalmology - Volume 19, Number 2, 2006 Assessment of Intravitreal Triamcinolone Acetonide on Cystoid Macular Edema in Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion Alireza Lashay, MD1, Haj-Mohammad Jalili, MD2, Ahmad Mirshahi, MD3 Houshang Faghihi, MD3, Reza Karkhaneh, MD1, Mehdi Nili-Ahmadabadi, MD3 Mohammad-Sadegh Farahvash, MD3, Seyed-Ali Tabatabaei, MD4 Mohammad Riazi-Esfahani, MD3, Ahmad Javadian, MD1, Hormoz Chams, MD1 Morteza Movasat, MD3, Zahra Aalami-Harandi, MD3Abstract Purpose: To assess the effectiveness of intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide on macular edema associated with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). Design: A prospective noncomparative interventional case series. Patients & Methods: Fourteen eyes of 14 patients with macular edema associated with BRVO were enrolled. In all patients after thorough ophthalmic examination, 4 mg triamcinolone acetonide was injected intravitreally, then all eyes followed at 1 day, 1 week, 1, 3 and 6 months. Ten eyes were followed until 9 months. Central macular thickness was measured with Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) at baseline and 3 months after injection. Best Corrected Visual Acuity (BCVA) and 1-mm central macular thickness were main outcome measurements. Results: Mean baseline BCVA: 1.33±0.52: logarithm of Minimum Angle of Resolution (logMAR) improved to 0.81±0.56 (P=0.002) at 1 month, 0.65±0.48 (P=0.001) at 3 months, but decreased to 0.85±0.44 (P=0.005) at 6 months. In 10 eyes of 14 eyes that were followed for 9 months, mean BCVA decreased to 1.20±0.48 (P=0.171). A 32% reduction of pre injection value of 1 mm central foveal thickness observed at 3 months (565±199.58µm versus 383.78±145.70µm, P=0.001). Ocular hypertension was developed in six patients that was controlled by topical antiglaucoma medication. Cataract developed or progressed in two eyes. Conclusion: Intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide can decrease macular edema and improve visual acuity in BRVO in short term but further study is required with control group and longer follow up to clarify the benefits and risks of this treatment. Key words: Intravitreal Triamcinolone Acetonide, Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion, Central Macular Thickness. Iranian Journal of Ophthalmology 2006; 19(2):1-5 1. Professor of Ophthalmology, Farabi Eye Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Correspondence Sciences Mehdi Nili-Ahmadabadi, MD Tehran, Farabi Eye Hospital 2. Resident in Ophthalmology, Farabi Eye Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Tel: 55414941-6 Sciences Email: [email protected] 3. Associate Prof. of Ophthalmology, Farabi Eye Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences 4. Assistant Prof. of Ophthalmology, Farabi Eye Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences Received: February 23, 2006 Accepted: April 27, 2006 (With Cooperation of Eye Research Center, Farabi Eye Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences) Lashay et al - Intravitreal TA on CME Iranian Journal of Ophthalmology - Volume 19, Number 2, 2006 Introduction Branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) is a
diagnosis of glaucoma or intraocular pressure
visual loss by macular edema, retinal capillary
non perfusion or intraretinal hemorrhage.1
Occlusion in BRVO occurs at arteriovenous
photography, retinal map thickness analysis
with optical coherence tomography ([OCT]
associated with a disruption of the blood-
Germany) and fluorescein angiography (FA)
retinal barrier and persistent decrease in
were performed at presentation. All patients
consents were obtained. All injections were
reported that laser photocoagulation resulted
performed under sterile condition in operating
in a reduction in visual loss 6 months or more
room. After topical anesthesia with tetracaine
0.5%, and instillation of povidone-iodine 5% in
A sterile speculum was placed. An anterior
anastomosis4 , surgical cannulation of branch
chamber paracentesis (0.1)ml was performed.
retinal veins5 , vitrectomy with adjunctive
The drug (4mg triamcinolone acetonide in
sheathotomy of the retinal vein adventitia.6
0.1ml) was injected into the vitreous cavity
inferotemporally through pars plana with a
toxicity when injected intravitreally7 and has
27-gauge needle on a 1ml tuberculin syringe.
been shown to reduce breakdown of the inner
blood-retinal barrier and stabilize it.8 A few
ointment. Then the patients were instructed to
instill ciprofloxacine 0.3% ophthalmic drop for
one week. Patients were thoroughly examined
1 day, 1 week, 1, 3, 6, and 9 months after
BRVO do not respond to laser injection. At 3 months follow up, fundus photocoagulation and with this belief, that,
triamcinolone acetonide can reduce macular
edema we proposed this study to investigate
the effectiveness of intravitreal triamcinolone
determined by the Early Treatment Diabetic
acetonide as treatment of macular edema with
Retinopathy Study chart and calculated as
corresponding improvement of visual acuity
logMAR, and 1-mm central macular thickness
that measured with OCT. Paired-sample t-test
and Pearson correlation analysis were used
Patients and Methods
This study was a prospective interventional
case series performed following the tenets of
Declaration of Helsinki, and after approval by
Fourteen eyes of 14 patients with macular
2005, 14 eyes of 14 patients with macular
minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) and at
55.43±10.83 years (range: 37-75) at injection
time. There were 6 females and 8 males. All
Exclusion criteria were macular BRVO with
BCVA>0.4 log MAR, one eye patients, eyes
with hazy media, other ocular diseases that
may prominently affect VA (cataract, age
symptoms to treatment was 89.64±56.16 days
Lashay et al - Intravitreal TA on CME Iranian Journal of Ophthalmology - Volume 19, Number 2, 2006
35-240). One patient had diabetes mellitus.
Four patients had hypertension and 2 of them
had history of old BRVO in the other eye. Two
photocoagulation in the region of the edema
has been recommended1,11,12, but this is
known that to be ineffective in many cases.13
Another option for the treatment of macular
improved to 0.81±0.56 logMAR (P=0.002),
(0.65±0.48 logMAR (P=0.001), 0.85±0.44
sheathotomy at the site of occlusion in patient
respectively, but was decreased to 1.20±0.48
technique of vitrectomy with sheathotomy is
logMAR, (P=0.171) in 10 of 16 eyes, that
difficult and the complication rate is not low.
Reroute the blood flow by a laser-induced
A 32.22% reduction in mean pre injection 1
chorioretinal venous anastomosis is the other
mm central macular thickness: 565±199µm to
approach for the treatment of macular edema
some complications such as fibrovascular
Six eyes (42.08%) developed IOP value of
proliferation hemorrhage and tractional retinal
22 mmHg or above. Elevation of IOP occurred
detachment.16 Intravitreal tissue plasminogen
between 1 week and 1 month after injection
activator administration has also been tested,
which was assumed to be a side effect of
triamcinolone acetonide. Elevation of IOP in
all patients was controlled with one to tree
implicated pathogenesis of macular edema.18
with 6 month visual acuity gain, (P=0.169).
Corticosteroids may also downregulate the
There was no correlation between baseline
production of vascular endothelial growth
1mm central macular thickness and visual
factor (VEGF), a known permeability factor.19
acuity gain at 6 months, (P=0.335). There was
Triamcinolone acetonide is a corticosteroid
a correlation between the change in baseline
that has been shown to reduce breakdown of
the inner blood-retinal barrier and stabilize it
corresponding visual acuity gain (P=0.008) at
significant correlation between the baseline
reduction in baseline macular thickness at 3
VA with VA gain at 6 months of follow up
maximal improvement of visual acuity was
observed at 3 months of follow up. Reduction
of the mean visual acuity was observed after 3
months and declined to a level at 9 months,
that not significantly different with the mean baseline visual acuity (P=0.171). This finding
Discussion
is in agreement with other studies20-22 that,
Macular edema is a common cause of visual
intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide can,
loss in patients with BRVO. Elevation of distal
reduces macular edema and correspondingly
intravascular pressure causes disruption of
improves of VA in short term. After then,
the inner blood-retinal barrier and is often
associated with significant leakage and a
deterioration of VA occurs, that may be due to
relatively poor prognosis.3 In the acute phase
intraretinal hemorrhage, it may be impossible
In our study 42.08% of patients developed
to evaluate potential vision and difficult to
IOP value of 22mmHg or higher, which was
provide a prognosis. One third to one half of
assumed to be a side effect of triamcinolone
patients with BRVO have a return of vision to
acetonide. Elevation of IOP in all patients was
controlled with topical medications. At final visit IOP was controlled despite
Lashay et al - Intravitreal TA on CME Iranian Journal of Ophthalmology - Volume 19, Number 2, 2006
discontinuation of drugs. Jonas et al24
reported intraocular pressure rise in 70% of
injection. This dose is higher than our study
Conclusion
that may be related to the injection of higher
In conclusion, a single intravitreal injection of
triamcinolone acetonide can cause reduction
In our study, all patients were phakic and
cataract progression was observed in 2 eyes
improvement of visual acuity at least in short
but not required cataract extraction. çekiç et
term, but further study is required particularly
al22 reported cataract progression in 7 of 12
with a control group and longer follow up to
phakic patients during mean follow up of 13
clarify the effects and complication rates of
months. Cataract extraction was performed in
triamcinolone acetonide injection for macular
five eyes of them. The cause of higher rate of
cataract progression in this study compared to
our study may be the higher mean age of their
Acknowledgment
patients, multiple injections of triamcinolone
132/10593 from Tehran University of Medical
We did not observe any other injection or
triamcinolone related complications such as
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Dear Jan, Your letter addressed me as "Giles", below the more formal Michael G. Kotcher. This distinction suggests that you--- or one of our contemporaries who attended the EQV reunion-- remembered me. Your name was immediately familiar, though I could not put a face from 48 or 49 years ago to your name. I was at Wesleyan only from September 1958 until January 1960. My memories of EQV are
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