Comparison of clinical efficacy between bevacizumab combined with triamcinolne acetonide and versus bevacizumab via intraovitreal injection for diabetic macular edema: A Meta-analysis

Abstract

Background Bevacizumab and triamcinolone acetonide (TA) has been widely used in the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME) clinically,but the effectiveness of both treatment has disadvantage.Therefore,some researchers try to combine bevacizumab with TA for the management of DME,but its efficacy is controversial.Objective This study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intraovitreal injection of bevacizumab combined with TA versus bevacizumab for DME.Methods The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of bevacizumab combined with TA versus bevacizumab via intraovitreal injection for DME were searched from Pubmed,EMbase,Cochrane Library,CNKI.The methodological quality of the literature was evaluated according to evidencebased medicine (EBM),and the quality of the RCTs was appraised based on the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions Version 5.0.The outcome indicators including the change values of central macular thickness (CMT) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) as well as the safety indicators including topical and system adverse response of RCTs were analyzed with Cochrane Collaboration' s software RevMan 5.0.Results Nine RCTs were included with 665 eyes.The decrease value of CMT was more remarkable in the bevacizumab combined with TA group than that of the only bevacizumab group 12 weeks and 18 weeks after intravitreal injection (WMD =-44.69,95％ CI:25.27-64.11,P ＜ 0.000 001 ; WMD =-66.86,95％ CI:40.67-93.05,P ＜ 0.000 001).However,no significant differences were found in the change value of CMT in 6 weeks and 6 months after injection between the two groups (WMD =-15.40,95％ CI:-4.04-34.85,P =0.12 ; WMD =-2.57,95％ CI:-19.62-24.75,P =0.82).The improvement value of BCVA (LogMAR) in the bevacizumab combined with TA group was superior to that of the only bevacizumab group 6 weeks after injection (WMD =-0.04,95 ％ CI:-0.08--0.00,P =0.05),but there were no significant differences between the two groups at 12weeks,18 weeks and 6 months after treatment (WMD =-0.04,95％ CI:-0.12-0.05,P=0.36;WMD =-0.04,95％ CI:-0.11-0.03,P=0.28; WMD =0.03,95％ CI:-0.05-0.12,P=0.45).The incidence rate of transient anterior response after injection was not significantly different between the two groups (RR =0.89,95％ CI:0.49-1.60,P =0.70).Secondary ocular hypertension after injection occurred in 30 eyes in the bevacizumab combined with TA group,but no hypertension was seen in the only bevacizumab group.Conclusions Compared with only bevacizumab,intravitreal injection of bevacizumab combined with TA has a better efficacy in improving CMT but no obvious dominant in increasing BCVA for early DME.Intravitreal injection of bevacizumab combined with TA seemingly has a higher risk of inducing controllable ocular hypertension than administration of only bevacizumab. Key words: Bevacizumab; Triamcinolone acetonide; Diabetic macular edema; intravitreal injection; Randomized controlled trial; Meta analysis; Evidence-based medicine