Objective:

To evaluate a novel sequential treatment regimen for diabetic macular edema (DME) and compare its outcomes with standard anti-VEGF therapy.

Approach:

• Study Design: A retrospective study involving 28 eyes from 23 treatment-naïve DME patients, comparing a sequential '1 + 1 + PRN' regimen with a conventional '3 + PRN' protocol.
• Treatment Regimens: The sequential regimen involved one or two initial anti-VEGF injections followed by a dexamethasone implant, with subsequent anti-VEGF treatment on a PRN basis.

Key Findings:

• Both treatment approaches showed significant improvements in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT).
• No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups for key efficacy endpoints.
• Patients in the sequential regimen required an average of 2.6 injections compared to 4.9 in the conventional group, a reduction of almost 48%.
• DME recurrence was observed in three eyes treated with the standard regimen but in none managed with the sequential strategy.

Limitations:

• Small sample size.
• Retrospective design.
• Short follow-up period.
• Non-randomized treatment allocation.

Sources:

• Eye Discovery