Intravitreal tissue plasminogen activator to treat refractory diabetic macular edema by induction of posterior vitreous detachment.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

To evaluate the effects of intravitreal injection of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) for the treatment of refractory diabetic macular edema.

METHODS:

A total of 27 patients with refractory diabetic macular edema with no evidence of posterior vitreous detachment were randomly assigned into follow-up (F/U) or TPA treatment groups. To control for the effects of intravitreal injection, an additional 14 patients with diabetic macular edema who were candidates for first-time intravitreal bevacizumab injection were enrolled as the IVB group. For the TPA and IVB groups, 25 μg of TPA or 1.25 mg of bevacizumab, respectively, were intravitreally injected. Fundoscopy, optical coherence tomography, and B-scan ultrasonography were performed at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after initiation of the study.

RESULTS:

The incidence of posterior vitreous detachment in fundoscopy over the follow-up period was 69.2% in the TPA group, which was significantly higher than that of the F/U and IVB groups (P = 0.001). Best-corrected visual acuity and changes in macular thickness did not significantly differ between the TPA and F/U groups over the 3-month period.

CONCLUSION:

Intravitreal TPA injection induces posterior vitreous detachment in patients with diabetic macular edema refractory to standard treatment but has no effect on macular thickness or best-corrected visual acuity within 3 months.

• Authors: Majid Abrishami, Mir Naghi Moosavi, Nasser Shoeibi, Setareh Sagheb Hosseinpoor
• Journal: Retina (Philadelphia, Pa.) (Retina) Vol. 31 Issue 10 Pg. 2065-70 (Nov 2011) ISSN: 1539-2864 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 21983248 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)

Chemical References

• Fibrinolytic Agents
• Tissue Plasminogen Activator

Topics

• Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 (complications)
• Diabetic Retinopathy (drug therapy)
• Fibrinolytic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Intraocular Pressure (physiology)
• Intravitreal Injections
• Macular Edema (drug therapy)
• Middle Aged
• Prospective Studies
• Tissue Plasminogen Activator (therapeutic use)
• Tomography, Optical Coherence
• Visual Acuity (physiology)
• Vitreous Body (drug effects)
• Vitreous Detachment (chemically induced)