Triamcinolone Injections May Slow Progression of Diabetic Retinopathy

A report in the December issue of the Archives of Ophthalmology shows that injecting the corticosteroid triamcinolone into the eye may slow the progression of diabetic retinopathy, a complication of diabetes that can cause vision loss and blindness, according to a JAMA news release.

Proliferative diabetic retinopathy occurs when new blood vessels form on the optic disc or another component of the retina, according to background information in the article.

Neil M. Bressler, MD, of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and colleagues conducted a study involving 840 eyes of 693 participants who had macular edema, a leakage of fluid into part of the retina that occurs in many cases of retinopathy, according to the release. Eyes were randomly assigned to receive one of three treatments: photocoagulation (a laser treatment that destroys blood vessels) or a 1-mg or 4-mg injection of triamcinolone acetonide directly into the eye as often as every four months.

After two years, retinopathy had progressed in 31 percent of 330 eyes treated with photocoagulation, 29 percent of 256 eyes treated with 1-mg doses of triamcinolone acetonide and 21 percent of 254 eyes treated with 4-mg doses, according to the release. These differences appeared to be sustained at three years, even though most eyes in the triamcinolone groups did not receive injections every four months during the second year and less than half received any injections in the third year.

Read the release about the use of triamcinolone for preventing diabetic retinopathy.