title: Diabetic Macular Edema Diagnosis and Treatment in the Real World: An Analysis of Medicare Claims Data (2008 to 2010).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterize vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor treatment patterns in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) using a Medicare Standard Analytic Files Part B or Outpatient Claims database to understand treatment frequency and DME persistence.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of treatment patterns for patients diagnosed with DME receiving their first anti-VEGF injection was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average number of anti-VEGF injection claims for DME per patient rose from 3.1 to 4.6 per year (mean: 4.2). Within 1 year of diagnosis, 46% of patients received their final DME diagnosis (mean: 1.9 anti-VEGF claims), and 65% of patients received their final anti-VEGF treatment for DME. Patients who received treatment for DME through years 2 and 3 submitted a mean of four and 7.2 anti-VEGF claims, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  VEGF inhibitor treatment was less frequent than in landmark trials, but did resolve DME in a proportion of patients.
authors.forename: Pravin U
authors.initials: PU
authors.lastname: Dugel
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Layton
authors.forename: Rohit B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Varma
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007344:Insurance Claim Reporting / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D016345:Medicare Part B / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019233:Retreatment; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014481:United States; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A