Evaluation of the timing of intravitreal bevacizumab injection as adjuvant therapy to panretinal photocoagulation in patients with diabetic macular edema secondary to diabetic retinopathy

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the difference in intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) injection timing as adjuvant therapy to panretinal photocoagulation in patients with diabetic retinopathy combined with diabetic macular edema. Methods: This was a retrospective nonrandomized study. Forty eyes with severe nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) or proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) were divided into two groups; the IVB injection prior to, or after, panretinal photocoagulation. Changes in central macular thickness between the two groups were measured. Results: There was no significant difference in change in central macular thickness between two groups after treatment (p=0.66), neither in eyes with severe NPDR groups (p=0.48) nor eyes with PDR (p=0.82). Conclusion: IVB injection after panretinal photocoagulation gives insignificant difference in changes in central macular thickness with injection prior to laser treatment in patients with diabetic retinopathy combined with diabetic macular edema.