title: [Ranibizumab in diabetic macular edema. Evaluation of functional and morphological aspects].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intravitreal anti-VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) therapy with ranibizumab has been shown to be an effective therapeutic option for foveal diabetic macular edema (DME). This prospective study evaluated the functional and morphological retinal changes after intravitreal ranibizumab treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A consecutive prospective series of DME patients treated with intravitreal ranibizumab were examined before and after 3 and 6 months of intravitreal ranibizumab therapy. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) according to the ETDRS protocol, retinal thickness in the macular area and central retinal thickness (CRT) measured with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) was determined. In addition, microperimetric functional macular mapping was determined before therapy and 4 weeks after the third injection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 41 eyes from 33 patients were evaluated. During the 6-month observational period patients received a mean number of 5.2 injections. The mean BCVA increased significantly from 26 ± 14 to 33 ± 13 letters 4 weeks after the third injection and to 34 ± 14 letters 6 months after starting the treatment. The mean CRT decreased significantly from 509 ± 147 µm to 385 ± 121 µm after the third injection and to 383 ± 110 µm after 6 months. After 3 injections, the thickness of the most prominent central retinal area was less than 445 µm in 68.3% of patients and after a further 3 months of treatment in 78.0%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presented data demonstrate that intravitreal ranibizumab is effective for DME in everyday clinical practice and results are comparable to those of registration trials. After three initial injections significant structural and functional improvements were observed in a considerable number of patients.
authors: Augenklinik, Klinikum der Universität München, Campus Innenstadt, Mathildenstr. 8, 80336, München, Deutschland.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Reznicek
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Cserhati
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Liegl
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Seidensticker
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Haritoglou
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Wolf
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Kampik
authors: M W
authors: MW
authors: Ulbig
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Neubauer
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Kernt
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000069579:Ranibizumab; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000069579:Ranibizumab