Objective:
To evaluate a novel sequential treatment regimen for diabetic macular edema (DME) and compare its outcomes with standard anti-VEGF therapy.
Approach:
- Study Design: A retrospective study involving 28 eyes from 23 treatment-naïve DME patients, comparing a sequential '1 + 1 + PRN' regimen with a conventional '3 + PRN' protocol.
- Treatment Regimens: The sequential regimen involved one or two initial anti-VEGF injections followed by a dexamethasone implant, with subsequent anti-VEGF treatment on a PRN basis.
Key Findings:
- Both treatment approaches showed significant improvements in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT).
- No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups for key efficacy endpoints.
- Patients in the sequential regimen required an average of 2.6 injections compared to 4.9 in the conventional group, a reduction of almost 48%.
- DME recurrence was observed in three eyes treated with the standard regimen but in none managed with the sequential strategy.
Limitations:
- Small sample size.
- Retrospective design.
- Short follow-up period.
- Non-randomized treatment allocation.
Sources:
This content is an AI-generated, fully rewritten summary based on a published scholarly article. It does not reproduce the original text and is not a substitute for the original publication. Readers are encouraged to consult the source for full context, data, and methodology.
