Randomised controlled trial of posterior sub-Tenon triamcinolone as adjunct to panretinal photocoagulation for treatment of diabetic retinopathy.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of a single posterior sub-Tenon capsule injection of triamcinolone acetonide (PSTA) before panretinal photocoagulation (PRP).


METHODS
This 6-month study involved the randomisation of 82 eyes of 41 patients, with bilateral severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy or proliferative diabetic retinopathy to a single PSTA 20 mg or to no injection before PRP. The primary end-point was change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 6 months compared with that at baseline using the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR). Secondary end-points were changes in retinal thickness and intraocular pressure.


RESULTS
The mean changes in logMAR BCVA at 6 months compared with that at baseline were a worsening of 0.010 (SD 0.029) in the control group (no injection) and an improvement of 0.072 (0.028) in the PSTA group (p = 0.04). The mean changes in foveal thickness at 6 months compared with baseline measurements were an increase of 32.8 (82.8) mum in the control group and a lessening of 9.7 (85.6) mum in the PSTA group (p = 0.03).


CONCLUSIONS
PSTA before PRP appears to be beneficial in preventing PRP-induced visual loss in eyes with diabetic retinopathy by reducing the chance of macular thickening.
Unoki
N
N
Department of Ophthalmology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
Nishijima
K
K
Kita
M
M
Suzuma
K
K
Watanabe
D
D
Oh
H
H
Kimura
T
T
Sakamoto
A
A
Yoshimura
N
N
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005584:Fovea Centralis / Q000473:pathology; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D017075:Laser Coagulation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects; D055815:Young Adult
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide