Abstract
Purpose :
The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of epiretinal membrane (ERM) on the outcome of intravitreal dexamethasone implant (Ozurdex) treatment for macular edema (ME) secondary to branched retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).
Methods :
This study comprised 20 consecutive patients diagnosed with BRVO-associated ME with or without ERM and treated with Ozurdex. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central foveal thickness (CFT), and the presence of intraretinal fluid on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography were compared between the two groups; serial changes in this parameter were evaluated at 1, 3, and 6 months after Ozurdex injection.
Results :
Six eyes (30%) with ME presented ERM at baseline. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics of patients when stratified by presence of ERM. While the mean CFT significantly reduced at 1 month after Ozurdex injection, it began to gradually increase at months 3 and 5 in both groups. Comparisons between the two groups revealed significantly higher mean CFT in ME with ERM group at 1 (365.67 ± 80.21μm), 3 (420.17 ± 143.90μm), and 6 months (515.83 ± 134.27μm) after Ozurdex injection than the corresponding values in ME only group (261.07 ± 58.11μm, P = 0.033; 278.64 ± 78.52μm, P = 0.015; and 284.57 ± 56.04μm, P < 0.001). However, there was no significant difference in BCVA between the two groups at each time points. The incidence of intraretinal fluid was significantly higher in ME with ERM group (100%) than in that of ME only group (28.6%, P = 0.011) at 6 months after Ozurdex injection.
Conclusions :
In BRVO-associated ME with ERM patients, the treatment effect of Ozurdex on CFT was lower than that of ME only patients. The duration of treatment effect of Ozurdex in ME with ERM group did not last longer than that of ME only group. However, the presence of ERM did not affect visual outcome.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2018 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Honolulu, Hawaii, April 29 - May 3, 2018.