title: Intravitreal triamcinolone injections in non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NA-AION), no treatments have demonstrated to be effective in recovering visual loss in randomized clinical trials. Oral steroids have been evaluated, and small series of intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA) injection in NA-AION have been reported. The purpose of our study was to report the visual outcome and morphological changes in response to a single IVTA injection as a treatment for patients with NA-AION.
  
  
  METHODS
  The charts of 36 patients with visual symptoms and optic disc swelling caused by NA-AION were evaluated. Twenty-one patients had received 4 mg IVTA and were compared with 15 non-treated patients. Visual acuity (VA), retinal nerve fiber layer thickness and static visual field were evaluated after 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  VA improvement at 6 months is statistically better in the treated group than in the non-treated group (p = 0.0035). In the treated group, there was a significant inverse correlation between the delay of the injection and the visual acuity achieved at 6 months (p < 0.0083**, r = -0.56). A significant improvement of the visual field was noted in the injected group when compared with the non-treated group at 6 months (p < 0.0028).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this retrospective study, patients receiving IVTA in the acute phase of NA-AION have better improvement of VA and visual field during the follow-up period of 6 months. However, only a large randomized controlled trial may enable to evaluate the benefits of IVTA Injections on visual outcome in NA-AION.
authors.affiliation: MD, Department of Ophthalmology, Robert Debré University Hospital, Reims, France.
authors.forename: Corina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Radoi
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brugniart
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ducasse
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arndt
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001167:Arteritis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology; D018917:Optic Neuropathy, Ischemic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide