title: Visual acuity change after intravitreal triamcinolone in various types of exudative age-related macular degeneration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to compare the visual acuity change after an intravitreal high-dose injection of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) in various types of exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
  
  
  METHODS
  The interventional comparative case series study included 142 patients (146 eyes) with progressive exudative AMD differentiated into the occult type (n = 78; 53.4%), minimal classic type (n = 45; 30.8%), predominantly classic type (n = 17; 11.6%), and the purely classic type (n = 6; 4.1%). Mean follow-up was 9.7 +/- 7.0 months (3-35.7 months).
  
  
  METHODS
  Single intravitreal injection of approximately 20 mg of TA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Visual acuity, intraocular pressure (IOP).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gain in visual acuity measured at 1 month (P = 0.20), 2 months (P = 0.43), and at 3 months (P = 0.38) after the intravitreal injection of triamcinolone and maximal gain in visual acuity during the whole follow-up (P = 0.81) did not vary significantly between the 4 study groups. Correspondingly, the size of a retinal pigment epithelium detachment was not significantly associated with the change in visual acuity at 1 month (P = 0.62), 2 months (P = 0.24), 3 months (P = 0.96), or the maximal gain in visual acuity during follow-up (P = 0.93). The amount of rise in IOP, compared with the baseline value (6.5 +/- 7.4 mmHg), was statistically not associated with the type of subfoveal membrane (P = 0.20; 95% confidence interval: -0.52, 2.45).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The change in visual acuity and the rise in IOP in patients with exudative AMD receiving an intravitreal triamcinolone monotherapy is statistically independent of the type of subfoveal membrane, including the size of a retinal epithelium detachment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Clinical Medicine Mannheim of the University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany. Jost.Jonas@augen.ma.uni-heidelberg.de
authors.forename: Jost B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Jonas
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Strueven
authors.forename: Bernd A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Kamppeter
authors.forename: Bjoern
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Harder
authors.forename: Ulrich H
authors.initials: UH
authors.lastname: Spandau
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schlichtenbrede
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects*; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide