Bromfenac alone or with single intravitreal injection of bevacizumab or triamcinolone acetonide for treatment of uveitic macular edema

Purpose

To evaluate the efficacy of bromfenac drops alone or with a single intravitreal injection of bevacizumab (IVB) or triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA) in the treatment of uveitic macular edema (UME).

Design

Comparative case series.

Study Participant

Sixty-seven eyes (of 55 patients) with UME that received either bromfenac drops alone (n?=?34), IVB plus bromfenac (n?=?21) or IVTA plus bromfenac (n?=?12).

Methods

Chart review of patients at the Massachusetts Eye Research and Surgery Institution (MERSI) was done. Eyes that received either bromfenac drops alone (Br), IVB plus bromfenac (IVB/Br) or IVTA plus bromfenac (IVTA/Br), with follow-up of up to 3 months, were included.

Main Outcome Measure

Visual acuity.

Results

There was no statistically significant effect seen in VA or CMT in the Br group, with 17 of 34 eyes (50 %) needing re-injection before 3 months of follow-up. Mean change in CMT at 4 weeks for the Br group was 5.06 µm. Compared to baseline, both the IVTA/Br and IVB/Br groups showed significant decrease in CMT and improvement in VA at 1 and 3 months follow-up. There was also a continuous decrease in CMT up to 3 months of follow-up with the IVTA/Br group, which was found to be significant in comparison with the IVB/Br group; this trend was not seen in the IVB/Br group at 3 months. The greatest mean change in CMT at 1 month was seen in the IVTA/Br group (154.33 ±178.22 µm), and this was statistically significant in comparison with the other groups (p?=?<0.0001). However, in terms of mean change in VA, there was no change in the Br group (0.01?±?0.11 VA logMAR), and only 0.12?±?0.19 and 0.15?±?0.20 in the IVB/Br and IVTA/Br groups, respectively.

Conclusion

IVB and IVTA are both effective in improving VA and decreasing CMT up to 3 months. Bromfenac is ineffective alone for UME treatment, but may have a synergistic effect with IVTA in reducing CMT up to 3 months of follow-up.