Risk of intraocular pressure elevation associated with triamcinolone acetonide administration via different routes in macular edema: a systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

The local application of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) in patients with macular edema (ME) is off-label and the data are limited. We designed a systematic review and network meta-analysis to compare risk of intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation among TA for different routes of administration used by patients diagnosed with macular edema. We obtained data from the PubMed, Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The outcome was IOP at 4, 12 or 24 weeks. We performed random-effects model and consistency model in the Bayesian framework with the multinma package in R. The GRADE was accorded for assess the evidence. A total of 1138 citations were identified by our search, of which 16 RCTs enrolled 834 eyes (575 patients). The network showed that TA administration via different local routes and placebo were no significant differences in either pairwise or network estimates at the 4th week. IVTA (intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide) was associated with a statistically significant higher IOP at the 12th week compared to STiTA (sub-Tenon's infusion of triamcinolone acetonide) (MD: 1.67, 95% CI: 0.25 to 3.15, P < 0.05). IVTA, SCTA (suprachoroidal triamcinolone acetonide) and STiTA were both exhibited a statistically significant variance in IOP compared to placebo at the 24th week [(MD: 1.35, 95% CI: 0.23 to 2.30, P < 0.05), (MD: 2.42, 95% CI: 0.19 to 4.53, P < 0.05), (MD: 1.31, 95% CI: 0.02 to 2.49, P < 0.05)]. The probabilities of rankings and SUCRA showed that, at 4 and 12 weeks of follow-up, IVTA posed the highest risk of IOP elevation, while at the 24-week mark, SCTA exhibited the highest risk. In addition, RITA (retrobulbar injections triamcinolone acetonide) was shown to be safer. For the increased risk of IOP, we recommend that treatment within 4 weeks is safe. Nevertheless, it is advisable to exercise caution when administering IVTA, STiTA, SCTA beyond a duration of 12 weeks, due to the potential risk of IOP elevation. RITA emerged as the safest injection route in the treatment of macular edema in terms of IOP risk. However, more high-quality randomized controlled trials will be necessary to further confirm this. PROSPERO, CRD42022366513. https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/#recordDetails . Not applicable.

Liu K ，Yi J ，Xu J ，Zhong L ，Su N ... -  《BMC Ophthalmology》

Efficacy of different routes of triamcinolone acetonide administration on macular edema: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

There is different administration routes of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) administration for macular edema, but the efficacy ranking remains unclear. The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of different administration routes of TA employed in macular edema. PubMed, Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were systematically searched for published articles comparing macular edema in patients with triamcinolone acetonide in different administration. The sparse network was evaluated using a random-effects model and consistency model within the Bayesian framework, utilizing the multinma package in R. The evidence was assessed based on the Grading of Recommendations. Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) criteria. A total of 1138 citations were identified by our search, of which 20 RCTs enrolled 892 eyes. The network showed that intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA) was associated with a statistically significant better best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at the 12th week compared to placebo (MD: - 0.15, 95% CI: - 0.30 to - 0.01, P < 0.05), which was moderate-quality evidence. IVTA and suprachoroidal triamcinolone acetonide (SCTA) were both associated with a statistically significant reduction in central macular thickness (CMT) at the 12th week, which was moderate evidence. The probabilities of rankings and SUCRA demonstrated that sub-Tenon's infusion of triamcinolone acetonide (STiTA) might be the worst. SCTA and IVTA were proven to be the best administration routes for improving BCVA and reducing CMT. In addition, STiTA was less advisable than other administration routes of triamcinolone acetonide according to the rankings and SUCRA.

Liu K ，Yi J ，Xu J ，Zhong L ，Su N ... -  《PLoS One》

Effect of Suprachoroidal Triamcinolone Acetonide on Intraocular Pressure in Macular Edema: A Retrospective Study.

Introduction Macular edema causes decreased vision in diseases like diabetic retinopathy, uveitis, retinal vein occlusions and post-cataract surgery cystoid macular edema. Steroids in the depot form of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) increase the duration of action, but due to a number of complications, especially raising intraocular pressure (IOP), anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injections are now considered the mainstay of treatment. The suprachoroidal space provides an alternate route for steroid delivery, limiting the drug to the posterior segment, hence preventing the adverse effects on the anterior segment. This study aimed to determine the safety of suprachoroidal steroids with respect to their effect on IOP. Methods This retrospective study involved patients who received suprachoroidal TA injections for macular edema: diabetic retinopathy, retinal vein occlusions, uveitis and cystoid macular edema post-cataract surgery at Layton Rahmatulla Benevolent Trust (LRBT) Free Eye Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan. Manual medical records from two years were accessed and all patients were included in the study. Patients with a history of ocular hypertension, glaucoma and steroid responsiveness had not received the injection. Crystalline steroid particles of 4 mg/0.1 mL, using an intravenous TA (K-Kort; GlaxoSmithKline, Brentford, UK), were injected into the suprachoroidal space through a 30-gauge syringe with a custom plastic sleeve from a 24-gauge branula exposing 0.1 mm of the bevel. IOP was recorded at baseline before the injection and at weeks 2, 4 and 8. Repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare IOP measurements at the different time intervals. Results A total of 61 patients were included, with 70 eyes being assessed, at a mean age of 54.2 ± 10.4 years. Baseline mean IOP was 16.41 ± 2.62 mmHg, 17.04 ± 3.09 mmHg at week 2, 16.30 ± 2.95 mmHg at week 4 and 15.73 ± 1.83 mmHg at week 8. Between baseline IOP and week 2, the mean difference was 1.11 ± 0.66 mmHg (p = 0.59), 0.26 ± 0.43 mmHg from week 2 to week 4 (p = 1.00), and 1.36 ± 0.51 mmHg from week 4 to week 8 (p = 0.51). The mean IOP decreased by 0.50 ± 0.53 mmHg (p = 1.00) from baseline by eight weeks. The differences between IOP, different causes of macular edema and age or gender were not statistically significant. Two patients (1.4%) had a temporary rise in IOP above 24 mmHg requiring ocular medication, with one having a rise above 30 mmHg. Conclusion A single injection of suprachoroidal TA temporarily raises the mean IOP, but the increase is insignificant and settles to baseline by two months. Further studies would be required to establish suprachoroidal triamcinolone as a cost-effective and safe treatment for macular edema.

Nauman A ，Iqbal K ，Seyal M 《Cureus》

Defining the optimum strategy for identifying adults and children with coeliac disease: systematic review and economic modelling.

Elwenspoek MM ，Thom H ，Sheppard AL ，Keeney E ，O'Donnell R ，Jackson J ，Roadevin C ，Dawson S ，Lane D ，Stubbs J ，Everitt H ，Watson JC ，Hay AD ，Gillett P ，Robins G ，Jones HE ，Mallett S ，Whiting PF ... -  《-》

Efficacy and safety of intravitreal conbercept and triamcinolone acetonide for wet age-related macular degeneration in China: a meta-analysis.

Several studies have investigated the efficacy and safety of Conbercept versus Triamcinolone acetonide for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD), but the results are controversial. Therefore, this meta-analysis aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Conbercept versus Triamcinolone acetonide for the treatment of wAMD. A total of seven databases were searched for literature on the treatment of wAMD with Conbercept, with the search period from database inception to May 2024. Patients in the experimental group received Conbercept treatment, while patients in the control group received Triamcinolone acetonide treatment. The observed indicators included central macular thickness, incidence of adverse reactions, clinical efficacy, and best-corrected visual acuity. Relative risk (RR) and mean difference (MD) were used as effect measures. A total of 12 studies with 864 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The results showed that the experimental group had a significantly better central macular thickness (MD =  - 42.68, 95% CI =  - 55.04 ~  - 30.32, P < 0.001), clinical response rate (RR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.12 ~ 1.39, P < 0.001), and best-corrected visual acuity (MD = 0.16, 95% CI = 0.12 ~ 0.20, P < 0.001) compared to the control group. In terms of adverse events, the overall incidence of adverse events was lower in the experimental group (RR = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.14 ~ 0.51, P < 0.001) compared to the control group. Specifically, the incidence of intraocular pressure elevation (RR = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.12 ~ 0.94, P = 0.04) and intraocular inflammation (RR = 0.17, 95% CI = 0.03 ~ 0.97, P = 0.05) was lower in the experimental group compared to the control group, but there was no significant difference in the incidence of subconjunctival hemorrhage (RR = 0.7, 95% CI = 0.14 ~ 3.5, P = 0.66) and corneal edema (RR = 0.2, 95% CI = 0.04 ~ 1.12, P = 0.07). Conbercept demonstrated superior efficacy in treating wAMD compared to triamcinolone acetonide, with a lower incidence of adverse reactions. However, the current meta-analysis included a limited number of studies, with only two studies evaluating best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). Further high-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are warranted to validate these findings.

Yang F ，Hu R 《-》