Reduction in Retinal Thickness Fluctuations After Treatment With Fluocinolone Acetonide Implant for DME: A Post-Hoc Analysis of the USER Study

Abstract

Background and objective: Assess fluocinolone acetonide implant (FAc) effects on diabetic macular edema (DME) retinal thickness fluctuations.

Patients and methods: A post-hoc chart review of the real-world USER study analyzed patients receiving 0.2 μg/day FAc implant. The percentage of eyes with central subfield thickness (CST) of 300 µm or less were compared pre- and post-FAc implant; mean retinal thickness amplitude (RTA), retinal thickness standard deviation (RTSD), and two case studies were analyzed.

Results: One hundred thirty patients (mean age: 69.6 years) presented; CST was available for 120 of 160 treated eyes. Mean RTA decreased significantly post-FAc implant (P < .001) regardless of baseline visual acuity (VA). Correlations with last-observed VA (R²) were: RTA, 0.1197; retinal thickness standard deviation (RTSD), 0.1526; and area under the CST-time curve (AUC CST), 0.0981. After FAc implant, the percentage of eyes with CST of 300 μm or less was significantly greater versus baseline (P < .05).

Conclusions: Retinal thickness fluctuations significantly declined after FAc and correlated with improvement in VA. Both RTSD and RTA measures correlated more closely to last observed VA than AUC CST itself. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2020;51:298-306.].