Simultaneous intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide and tissue plasminogen activator for central retinal vein occlusion: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of simultaneous intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) for macular oedema associated with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO).


METHODS
Twenty eyes of 20 patients with CRVO were enrolled. A mixture of TA (4 mg) and tPA (25 μg) was injected into the vitreous of 20 eyes with CRVO. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and macular thickness before and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after the procedure were measured.


RESULTS
The BCVA improved three lines or more in 65%, 55%, 55% and 53% of eyes and the mean macular thickness decreased from 1072 μm to 455, 450, 480 and 409 μm (p<0.001) at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months, respectively. Fifteen (75%) of the 20 eyes required at least one additional injection to prevent a recurrence of macular oedema. The intraocular pressure increased in four eyes.


CONCLUSIONS
Overall, intravitreal injection of the TA/tPA mixture improved the BCVA by three lines or more in at least 50% of eyes and decreased the mean macular thickness at four time points without serious side effects. A randomised clinical trial is necessary to evaluate the efficacy of this treatment.
Yamamoto
Takuhiro
T
Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan.
Kamei
Motohiro
M
Sayanagi
Kaori
K
Matsumura
Nagakazu
N
Nishida
Kentaro
K
Sakaguchi
Hirokazu
H
Tsujikawa
Motokazu
M
Tano
Yasuo
Y
D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide