AUG 15, 2014
Ranibizumab for DME in Patients with a Prior Vitrectomy
By Purnima S. Patel, MD; Andrew N. Antoszyk, MD
ASRS 2014 Annual Meeting
Retina/Vitreous
In this interview from the ASRS 2014 Annual Meeting, Dr. Andrew Antoszyk discusses a recent study on the effect of ranibizumab (Lucentis) for diabetic macular edema (DME) in patients with a prior vitrectomy. An arm of the DRCR.net, the subanalysis compared 3-year outcomes in patients with and without previous surgery. At each year of follow-up, patients with central-involved DME and a prior vitrectomy maintained the same visual outcomes and OCT-measured retinal thickness as those without prior vitrectomy. The number of injections required in each group was also identical, and neither cohort was more likely to require additional interventions such as laser photocoagulation. Contrary to conventional thinking, intravitreal anti-VEGF agents appear equally effective in patients with previous vitreoretinal surgery, and Dr. Antoszyk believes the drugs should be used with confidence in the management of clinically significant DME.