2Uz. Dr., Beyoğlu Göz Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi, İstanbul, Türkiye Purpose: To evaluate the real life functional and anatomical outcomes, visit and injection numbers of ranibizumab treatment in diabetic macular edema patients.
Materials and Methods: The patients who were admitted to the clinic for the first time, treatment naive, completed the follow-up time of 12 months, and received only ranibizumab treatment were included, retrospectively. The patients first received 3 monthly loading doses of ranibizumab which was tried to be followed by a monthly pro re nata treatment regimen. Primary outcome measures were the visual acuity and central retinal thickness (CRT) at baseline, month 3, 6, 9, and 12, and the visit and injection numbers at month 12.
Results: A total of 150 eyes of 107 patients were included. The mean baseline visual acuity was 0.59±0.29 LogMAR. The mean visual acuity at month 3, 6, 9, and 12 was 0.54±0.40, 0.47±0.36, 0.48±0.38, and 0.49±0.34 LogMAR, respectively. The mean baseline central macular thickness (CMT) was 477±105 micrometers. The mean CMT at month 3, 6, 9, and 12 was 387±111, 362±90, 370±117, and 368±115 micrometers, respectively. The mean planned visit number was 4.8±1.0, and the mean completed visit number was 4.5±1.0 visits. The mean planned injection number was 4.2±1.6, and the mean completed injection number was 4.0±1.4 injections.
Conclusion: Although it is not possible to achieve adequate number of visits and injections, limited visual and anatomical improvements may be obtained.
Keywords : Diabetic macular edema, intravitreal injection, ranibizumab