Abstract
Purpose :
The effect of Vitreomacular interface abnormality (VMIA) and ERM in the treatment of Diabetic Macular Oedema with Anti-VEGF medications is unclear.
We performed a retrospective observational clinical study in patients with Diabetic Macular Oedema, treated with intravitreal Anti-VEGF injections, to investigate the relationship between VMIA, change in central macular thickness and number of injections over a 6 and 12 month period.
Methods :
We investigated a random sample of 61 treatment naïve patients with Diabetic Macular Oedema treated with Anti-VEGF (Ranibizumab or Aflibercept) in our department who had at least 12 months follow up.
Inclusion criteria: treatment naïve patients with DMO, treated with intravitreal Anti-VEGF with 12 months follow up and OCT scans at baseline, 6 and 12 months
There was no age restriction on included subjects.
Exclusion criteria: previous treatment, central macular laser, previous vitrectomy, significant cataract, active proliferative diabetic retinopathy, or any concurrent eye condition thought to affect the patient’s condition.
No more than 1 eye was included from a single patient.
Patients were recorded as having presence or absence of VMIA at baseline and this was compared with number of Anti-VEGF injections over 12 months.
Presence or absence of VMIA was also compared with change in central macular thickness (CMT) at 6 and 12 months.
We performed t-tests to look for statistical difference in injection number between patients with VMIA and those without,
and to compare 6 month and 12 month CMT change with presence of absence of VMIA.
Hypothesis: There is no difference in CMT change at 6 and 12 months, or Injection number at 12 months between patients with and without baseline VMIA.
Results :
Kurtosis value, mean and median comparisions supports Gausian distribution of data.
P-value VMIA vs non-VMIA injection number: 0.438
P-value VMIA vs non-VMIA CMT at 6 and 12 months: 0.166, and 0.222
Conclusions :
Our results show that the presence of VMIA does not have a statistically significant effect on the number of Anti-VEGF injections over a 12 month period.
They also showed the presence of VMIA at baseline does not have a statistically significant effect on CMT change at 6 and 12 months.
Larger numbers may be needed to reject the null hypothesis.
Our results add to the available knoweldge in appropriate management of DMO.
This abstract was presented at the 2019 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Vancouver, Canada, April 28 - May 2, 2019.