Intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide for exudative age related macular degeneration.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide on the visual acuity of patients with exudative age related macular degeneration, to assess the duration of a possible effect, and to evaluate clinical side effects of the treatment.


METHODS
The study included 67 patients (71 eyes) who presented with exudative age related macular degeneration of predominantly or total occult type (n = 68) or classic type (n = 3), and who received once, or repeatedly, an intravitreal injection of 25 mg of crystalline triamcinolone acetonide. Mean follow up time was 7.46 (SD 3.54) months (range 3.1-19.57 months).


RESULTS
Visual acuity increased significantly (p <0.001) from 0.16 (0.11) to a mean maximum of 0.23 (0.17). Postoperative visual acuity was highest 1-3 months after the injection. 47 (66.2%) eyes gained in maximal visual acuity and 11 (15.5%) eyes lost in visual acuity. Intraocular pressure increased significantly (p <0.001) from 15.1 (3.1) mm Hg at baseline to a maximal value of 23.0 (8.25) mm Hg. At the end of follow up, intraocular pressure again decreased significantly (p<0.001) to 16.8 (4.9) mm Hg. No cases of postoperative infectious endophthalmitis, rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, or proliferative vitreoretinopathy occurred. Owing to a decrease in visual acuity after an initial increase, six patients received a second intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide injection after which visual acuity increased again in three eyes.


CONCLUSIONS
Intravitreal injection of 25 mg of crystalline triamcinolone acetonide merits further study for the treatment of exudative age related macular degeneration.
Jonas
J B
JB
Department of Ophthalmology and Eye Hospital, Faculty for Clinical Medicine Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Germany. JostJonas@augen.ma.uni-heidelberg.de
Kreissig
I
I
Hugger
P
P
Sauder
G
G
Panda-Jonas
S
S
Degenring
R
R
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002386:Cataract / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections / Q000379:methods; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide