Subtenon Vs Intravitreal Triamcinolone injection in Diabetic Macular Edema, A prospective study in Chinese population

OBJECTIVE Purpose of this study was to validate that Subtenon (SB) Triamcinolone (TA) injection is an alternative to Intravitreal (IV) Triamcinolone (TA) injection for the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME). METHODS Forty eyes were selected having DME due to type 1 or type 2 diabetes. All the patients were treated with photocoagulation. IVTA was administered in one eye and SBTA in following eye of same patient. Improvement in visual acuity, macular edema and intraocular pressure was assessed before treatment and on 2(nd), 4(th), 8(th) and 12(th) week after treatment. RESULTS After administration of IVTA, MVA was reduced from baseline value (0.805 ± 0.069Log/MAR) to (0.577 ± 0.091 Log/MAR, p<.001) at the end of treatment. Similar results were observed after SBTA administration. MVA was reduced from (0.814 ± 0.082Log/MAR) to (0.49 ± 0.080 Log/MAR, p<.001) at 12(th) week. After IVTA injection Central macular thickness was significantly reduced to (246.8 ± 25 µm, p<0.001) from (390.5 ± 17 µm). There were no significant (p=0.51) difference in both eyes receiving different routes of same treatment. After SBTA injection CMT was significantly reduced to lower values (241.5 ± 27 µm, p<0.001) from (394.4 ± 21 µm). Intraocular pressure after IVTA administration was high (2.32 ± 0.72 mm/Hg, p=0.04) as compared to baseline (1.82 ± 0.94 mm/Hg). Similar pattern was also seen after SBTA administration but to significant extent. Elevation of IoP was observed in both eyes. CONCLUSION Subtenon Triamcinolone injection is an alternative to Intravitreal Triamcinolone Injection for Diabetic Macular Edema.