Improved visual outcome with early treatment in macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusions: 6-month results of a Korean RVO study.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the correlation between the duration of macular edema (ME) and visual outcomes among Korean patients with retinal vein occlusion (RVO).


METHODS
Multicenter, interventional case series. Treatment-naive patients (n = 249) with branch or central RVO (BRVO/CRVO) and ME for <6 months were included. We assessed the correlation between the duration of ME and treatment outcomes including the mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution best-corrected visual acuity (logMAR BCVA) improvement, the proportion of patients achieving at least a 3-line gain in BCVA, and the mean reduction in central retinal thickness (CRT) at 6 months.


RESULTS
One hundred and fifty-six patients with BRVO and 93 patients with CRVO were divided into five groups based on the duration of ME (<2, 2-4 weeks, 1-2, 2-3, 3-6 months); the mean baseline BCVA and CRT among the groups did not differ significantly. In BRVO, the mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) BCVA improvements in the groups were 0.51, 0.32, 0.17, 0.19, and 0.13, respectively (P = 0.002). The respective percentages of at least 3-line gains were 64, 53, 39, 38, and 21 % (P < 0.001). The BCVA didn't significantly improve in CRVO. The decrease in CRT was not correlated significantly with the duration of ME in either disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Treatment of BRVO as early as 2 weeks after onset of ME enhanced the visual outcome; there was no correlation in the patients with CRVO. This finding supports the current trend favoring early treatment to obtain better visual outcomes in patients with BRVO.
Department of Ophthalmology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan, 88, Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 138-736, Korea, yhyoon@amc.seoul.kr.
Young Hee
YH
Yoon
Ha Kyoung
HK
Kim
Hee Seong
HS
Yoon
Se Woong
SW
Kang
June-Gone
JG
Kim
Kyu Hyung
KH
Park
Young Joon
YJ
Jo
Joo Yong
JY
Lee
Dong Hoon
DH
Lee
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D013997:Time Factors; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide