Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34629111›Full record

ArticleEye and vision (London, England)2021

Intravitreal corticosteroids for diabetic macular edema: a network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Lu Gao, Xu Zhao, Lei Jiao, Luosheng Tang

Open access · diamondAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Eye and vision (London, England), 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
12citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.3field-weighted citation impact, top 21% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

12 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 18 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Review
  9. Review
  10. Review
  11. Current Treatments for Diabetic Macular Edema.International journal of molecular sciences · 2023
    Review
  12. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Lu GaoDepartment of Ophthalmology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China.
Xu ZhaoDepartment of Anesthesiology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China.
Lei JiaoSchool of Medicine, Taizhou University, Taizhou, Zhejiang, China.
Luosheng TangDepartment of Ophthalmology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 139 Middle Renmin Road, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, China. 13808424957@163.com.
Central South University · CNSecond Xiangya Hospital of Central South University · CNTaizhou University · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of different intravitreal corticosteroids for treating diabetic macular edema (DME).

methodsFour databases were systematically searched for randomized controlled trials comparing different intravitreal corticosteroids for treating DME. The primary outcome was the change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) within 6 months after the first injection (short-term BCVA). Secondary outcomes were the change in BCVA over 1 year (long-term BCVA) and changes in central macular thickness (CMT) and intraocular pressure (IOP) within 6 months after the first injection. Network meta-analysis was performed to aggregate the results from the individual studies.

resultsNineteen trials involving 2839 eyes were included. Intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (TA) injections (≥ 8 mg and 4-8 mg), fluocinolone acetonide (FA) implants (0.5 µg/day) and dexamethasone (DEX) implants (700 µg) improved short-term BCVA (mean changes in logMAR [95% confidence interval] - 0.27 [- 0.40, - 0.15]; - 0.12 [- 0.18, - 0.06]; - 0.10 [- 0.21, - 0.01]; and - 0.06 [- 0.11, - 0.01]). Intravitreal TA injections (4 mg, multiple times), FA implants (0.5 µg/day and 0.2 µg/day), and DEX implants (350 µg) improved long-term BCVA (mean changes in logMAR [95% confidence interval] - 0.11 [- 0.21, - 0.02]; - 0.09 [- 0.15, - 0.03]; - 0.09 [- 0.14, - 0.02]; and - 0.04 [- 0.07, - 0.01]). All intravitreal corticosteroids reduced CMT, and different dosages of TA did not show significant differences in increasing IOP.

conclusionsIntravitreal corticosteroids effectively improved BCVA in DME patients, with higher dosages showing greater efficacies. TA was not inferior to FA or DEX and may be considered a low-cost alternative choice for DME patients. The long-term efficacy and safety of different corticosteroids deserve further investigation. Trial registration Prospectively registered: PROSPERO, CRD42020219870.

Indexed as

Best-corrected visual acuityCentral macular thicknessCorticosteroidsDexamethasoneDiabetic macular edemaFluocinolone acetonideIntraocular pressureNetwork meta-analysisRandomized controlled trialTriamcinolone acetonide

Identifiers

PMID34629111
PMCPMC8504110
OpenAlexW3206548824

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.