Evidence-based medicine analysis on curative effects of intravitreous injection with triamcinolone acetonide for macular edema / 中华眼底病杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To seek the evidence-based medicine (EBM) evidences of curative effects of intravitreous injection with triamcinolone acetonide (TA) for macular edema. Methods All articles of intravitreous injection TA for macular edema published in English or Chinese were picked up from databases of MEDLINE and CNKI and then evaluated according to EBM standard. The data in accord with research standard were selected by using excluding and including criteria, and classified according to the appraisal standard of clinical therapeutic documents. Results In the selected papers, none in gradeⅠevidence; 1 in gradeⅡevidence; 7 in grade Ⅲ evidence; 24 in grade Ⅳ evidence; and 19 in gradeⅤevidence. Forty-two papers reported that intravitreous injection with TA had significant effect for macular edema within 3 months, and the improvement of visual acuity was recorded in these papers. Regression of macular edema was recorded in 23 papers. Among 20 papers, side-effect was found in 93 eyes (31.41%) and the serious side-effect in 4 eyes (1.35%). Conclusions Intravitreous injection with TA has some curative effects for macular edema in short term, but the quality of current study has not been encouraging. There are no grade I document and lack of the study of validity in long term and essentiality and validity of retreatment. The special attention should be payed on the increasing persistency of efficacy and preventing the serious side-effects in the future investigation.