Early versus late intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide for macular edema associated with branch retinal vein occlusion.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the effect of early versus late intravitreal injection of triamcinolone in patients with macular edema due to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).


METHODS
Twenty eyes of 20 patients with macular edema from BRVO, including 10 with duration after onset of or <or= 3 months and 10 with duration of 3 months, were treated using a single intravitreal triamcinolone injection (4 mg/0.1 ml). Best-corrected visual acuity and foveal thickness by optical coherence tomography were measured 1, 3, and 6 months post-injection.


RESULTS
In patients that received treatment after a disease duration of <or= 3 months, visual acuity and foveal thickness significantly improved from baseline over 6 months of follow-up. However, in those with a duration of >3 months, improvements in visual acuity and foveal thickness, though apparent at 1 month, were not maintained at 3 and 6 months post-triamcinolone.


CONCLUSIONS
Intravitreal triamcinolone is more effective in patients with BRVO who are treated earlier.
Oh
Joo Youn
JY
Department of Ophthalmology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Chongno-gu, Seoul, Korea.
Seo
Je Hyun
JH
Ahn
Jae Kyoun
JK
Heo
Jang Won
JW
Chung
Hum
H
D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005584:Fovea Centralis / Q000187:drug effects; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000150:complications*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide