Pattern electroretinogram for monitoring the efficacy of intravitreal triamcinolone injection in diabetic macular edema

Abstract

To investigate the efficacy of intravitreal triamcinolone (IVT) by evaluation of pattern electroretinogram (PERG) in diabetic patients with clinically significant macular edema (CSME). Forty eyes of 40 diabetic patients were treated with 8 mg of IVT injection as primary therapy for CSME. The main outcome measures included best-corrected visual acuity, fundus fluorescein angiography, P50 amplitudes of pattern electroretinogram (PERG) and intraocular pressures before and after injection. The mean follow-up time was 6.1 months. Mean visual acuity improved significantly from a mean LogMAR value of 1.14 +/- 0.16 at baseline to a maximum of 0.73 +/- 0.30. The mean baseline P50 amplitude of PERG before intravitreal injection was 1.5 +/- 0.9 microV. After the treatment, it was 2.1 +/- 1.1 microV at 1-month, 2.4 +/- 1.0 microV at 3-month and 2.1 +/- 0.9 microV at last visit and the differences were significant when compared with baseline values (for each, p < 0.001). Temporary increases in intraocular pressures were controlled with topical antiglaucomatous medications, if required. IVT injection provides rapid improvement in visual acuity of diabetic patients with CSME that has been supported by P50 amplitudes of PERG. P50 amplitudes of PERG may he used as novel predictive value in the evaluation of the effectiveness of IVT injection.