Intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide injections in the treatment of retinal vein occlusions.

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:

To report the visual acuity response after intravitreal triamcinolone injection in patients with macular edema due to retinal vein occlusions.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

Retrospective nonrandomized interventional series of 172 consecutive patients with macular edema due to retinal vein occlusions who were treated with intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide injection. Patients underwent Snellen visual acuity testing and ophthalmoscopic examination at baseline and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide injection.

RESULTS:

All subtypes of retinal vein occlusions showed significant improvements in mean visual acuity 1 month after injection. This improvement in visual acuity was maintained over the 12-month period for all but the central retinal vein occlusion group. Seventy-one (41.3%) of the 172 patients received more than one intravitreal triamcinolone injection for unresolved or recurrent macular edema.

CONCLUSION:

This study demonstrates a benefit associated with intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide injection for retinal vein occlusions that was maintained by patients with branch retinal vein occlusions and hemiretinal vein occlusions over a 12-month period. Visual acuity improvement was not maintained in patients with central retinal vein occlusions with this course of treatment.

• Authors: Daniel B Roth, Catherine Cukras, Ravi Radhakrishnan, William J Feuer, David L Yarian, Stuart N Green, Harold M Wheatley, Jonathan Prenner
• Journal: Ophthalmic surgery, lasers & imaging : the official journal of the International Society for Imaging in the Eye (Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging) 2008 Nov-Dec Vol. 39 Issue 6 Pg. 446-54 ISSN: 1542-8877 [Print] United States
• PMID: 19065973 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Glucocorticoids
• Triamcinolone Acetonide

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Female
• Glucocorticoids (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Injections
• Macular Edema (drug therapy, etiology, physiopathology)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Retinal Vein Occlusion (complications, drug therapy, physiopathology)
• Retrospective Studies
• Time Factors
• Treatment Outcome
• Triamcinolone Acetonide (therapeutic use)
• Visual Acuity (physiology)
• Vitreous Body