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Photocoagulation may still be a therapeutic choice for center-sparing diabetic macular edema. We compared the visual evolution after photocoagulation, in eyes with focal diabetic macular edema, stratified per the location of thickening with optical coherence tomography. We evaluated people with type 2 diabetes and focal diabetic macular edema, before and three weeks after focal photocoagulation. We divided the sample by edema location: central (group1); paracentral (group 2) and pericentral (group 3) and compared the proportions of eyes with baseline visual impairment, visual improvement, and visual deterioration between groups; central edema was evaluated with logistic regression, as an explaining variable of baseline visual impairment and visual improvement. The study included 160 eyes: 77 in group 1, 20 in group 2, 63 in group 3; baseline visual impairment was more frequent in groups 1 and 2 (52.6%) than in group 3 (28.6%, p = 0.002, OR 2.77) and as common in groups 1 (51.9%) and 2 (55.0%, p = 0.8). The proportions of visual improvement and visual deterioration did not differ between groups (p > 0.05). The outcome after focal photocoagulation was similar in paracentral (considered center-sparing) and central macular edema; the definition of center involvement, which needs intravitreal antiangiogenics, should expand to include paracentral thickening.

Background: Macular oedema is a form of diabetic retinopathy that can be treated with photocoagulation. The expected effect of treatment varies, and may depend on the previous characteristics of retinal thickening., Objective: To determine whether the change in retinal thickness after focal photocoagulation for diabetic macular oedema varies due to the presence of anatomical features that may justify a separate assessment., Material and Methods: Non-experimental, comparative, retrospective, longitudinal study. The mean percentage change in macular volume was compared in eyes with diabetic macular oedema, 3 weeks after focal photocoagulation. The analysis was stratified according to the presence of central and perifoveal temporal thickening (Mann-Whitney U). A regression analysis was performed to identify the contribution of the anatomical variables before photocoagulation to the change in macular volume., Results: A total of 72 eyes were evaluated. The mean change of macular volume in the sample was -0.68±3.84%. In the multiple regression analysis, the changes of perifoveal temporal (beta 0.54, p<0.001) and central field thickness (beta 0.3, p =0.01) contributed to the change of macular volume (R=0.64). Macular volume decreased by a mean of -2.1±4.3% in eyes with temporal perifoveal thickening, and increased by 0.5±2.8% (p =0.007) in eyes with no thickening., Conclusion: Perifoveal temporal thickening before photocoagulation changes the expected effect of this therapy on macular volume in eyes with focal diabetic macular oedema. It is recommended to evaluate the effect separately, and according to the perifoveal temporal thickness., (Copyright © 2015 Academia Mexicana de Cirugía A.C. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.)

Background: Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors are effective in delaying the progression of diabetic retinopathy. It is unknown if their use is associated with a better visual outcome in patients with diabetic macular oedema., Material and Methods: A non-experimental, comparative, longitudinal and retrospective study was performed on patients with diabetic macular oedema treated by focal photocoagulation, and with systemic arterial hypertension treated with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (Group 1), and without hypertension (Group 2). The dependent variable was the proportion with visual improvement, operatively defined as the gain of one or more lines of vision three weeks after photocoagulation. The independent variable was the use of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. The proportion of eyes with visual improvement after treatment was compared between groups using the Chi squared (χ(2)) test., Results: A total of 33 eyes (51.6%) were assigned to group 1, and 31 (48.2%), to group 2. The mean of visual acuity improved after three weeks, compared with baseline (p=0.002). The proportion of eyes with visual improvement did not differ between patients treated with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (45.5%) and those that did not use them (51.6%, p=0.4)., Conclusions: There was no statistical difference in the proportion of eyes with visual improvement between patients treated with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and in those where they were not used. There is no support for the inhibition of angiotensin II in addition to photocoagulation for improving the outcome in patients with diabetic macular oedema., (Copyright © 2015 Academia Mexicana de Cirugía A.C. Published by Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.)

Background: Photocoagulation is the standard treatment for clinically significant macular edema (CSME). This procedure is effective in reducing macular thickening, but it has been reported that initially it does not improve the thickness at the area of best visual function (center point of the fovea). We undertook this study to compare the effect of focal photocoagulation on center point thickness (CPT) and macular volume 3 weeks after treatment in Mexican diabetic patients with CSME, with and without center point involvement., Methods: We carried out an observational, retrospective, longitudinal, analytical, open study. Type 2 diabetic patients undergoing focal photocoagulation for CSME at a general hospital in Mexico City were evaluated. Mean CPT and macular volume were compared before and 3 weeks after photocoagulation (paired t test) in the sample and in eyes with (group 1) and without (group 2) baseline center point involvement. Absolute and percent CPT and macular volume changes were identified., Results: Fifty-nine eyes (mean age 59.6 years) were studied. CPT mean increased from 193 to 197 μm (p = 0.3), statistically in group 2 (168.8 to 178.5 μm, p <0.001). Macular volume mean changed from 7.8 to 7.6 mm(3) (p <0.001). CPT increased 3.9 μm (3%) in the sample, whereas macular volume decreased 0.26 mm(3) (3.1%). Correlation between changes was 0.089., Conclusions: Although macular volume decreased statistically 3 weeks after photocoagulation, CPT did not and increased statistically in eyes without baseline center point involvement, which was unnoticed in the sample effect. These changes should not be overlooked because dealing with them could improve the early results of treatment.