Diabetic macular edema (DME) is a common ocular complication of diabetes patients. It mainly involve macular which is closely related with visual function, thus DME is one of the major reasons causing visual impairment or blindness for diabetes patients. How to reduce the visual damage of DME is always a big challenge in the ophthalmic practice. In the past three decades, there are tremendous developments in DME treatments, from laser photocoagulation, antiinflammation drugs to antivascular endothelial growth factor therapy. However, the mechanism of DME development is not yet completely clear; every existing treatment has its own advantages and weaknesses. Therefore DME treatment still challenges us to explore further to reduce the DME damages.
ObjectiveTo observe the expression of inflammatory cytokines in diabetic rats received posterior sub-Tenon capsule injection of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) and pan-retinal photocoagulation. MethodsA total of 48 Brown Norway rats received intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin to establish the diabetic model. Diabetic rats were randomly divided into experimental group (20 rats), control group (20 rats) and blank group (8 rats). 50 μl TA or saline was injected into the posterior sub-Tenon capsule immediately after the photocoagulation in the experimental group and the control group, respectively. The blank group received no treatment. The mRNA and protein expression level of retinal vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis fator-α (TNF-α) were measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) at 1, 3, 7 days after laser photocoagulation. ResultsThe mRNA and protein expression of VEGF, IL-6, TNF-α of the experimental group and control group were significantly higher than the blank group, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The mRNA and protein expression of VEGF, IL-6 and TNF-α of the experimental group were significantly lower than that of the control group. On day 1 after laser photocoagulation, the mRNA expression of VEGF was not statistically significant in the experimental group and control group (P > 0.05), the mRNA and protein expression of VEGF, IL-6, TNF-α of the two groups were statistically significant in the remaining observing time (P < 0.05). ConclusionPosterior sub-Tenon capsule injection of TA can effectively reduce retinal photocoagulation induced VEGF, IL-6, TNF-α expression.
ObjectiveTo observe the efficacy of phacoemulsification with intravitreal triamcinolone injection (IVTA) in diabetic patients with severe cataract and diabetic macular edema (DME). MethodsTwenty-one patients (25 eyes) with severe cataract and DME were enrolled in this retrospective study. Fifteen eyes underwent standard phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation with 4 mg IVTA at completion of surgery. Ten eyes underwent standard phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation. All the patients were followed up for best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), optical coherence tomography(OCT) and ophthalmological examination.Changes in logarithm of he minimal angel of resolution (logMAR) BCVA and central macular thickness (CMT) were evaluated preoperatively and 1 month, 3 months and 6 months postoperatively by repeated measures ANOVA. Correlations between logMAR BCVA and CMT preoperatively and postoperatively were analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis. Postoperative 6 months logMAR BCVA and affecting factors were evaluated by multivariate linear regression analysis. ResultsBoth groups showed significant improvements of logMAR BCVA after surgery (F=4.855, 6.235; P=0.037, 0.020). There were no statistical differences of logMAR BCVA improvement at different time points postoperatively (F=0.007, 0.006, 0.023; P=0.973, 0.938, 0.882). The CMT reductions in IVTA group at month 1 and month 3 postoperatively were statistically significant than the reductions in group without IVTA(F=10.449, 7.374; P=0.012, 0.026), and there was no statistical difference of CMT reduction at month 6 postoperatively between two groups(F=2.173; P=0.114). Correlation Coefficients between CMT and BCVA were not statistically significant preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively(r=0.279, 0.172; P=0.295, 0.574). Analysis of multiple linear regression showed that external limiting membrane status and duration of diabetes are factors affecting the visual recovery (β=0.577, -0.411; P=0.025, 0.030). ConclusionsPhacoemulsification with concurrent IVTA for treatment of patients with severe cataract and DME is effective in reducing edema. But IVTA does not further improve logMAR BCVA postoperatively.