The following is a summary of “Management after cataract surgery for patients with diabetic retinopathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” published in the April 2024 issue of Ophthalmology by Wu et al.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study assessing the outcomes of different treatment approaches for diabetic retinopathy (DR) following cataract surgery.
They conducted an exhaustive search for RCTs on PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and CNKI databases(December 22, 2021). The safety and efficacy of treatment options were evaluated using the RR for DR progression comparison and mean difference for best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and macular thickness (MT) assessment.
The results showed that anti-VEGF (anti-vascular endothelial growth factor) drugs significantly decreased DR progression [RR: 0.37 (95%CI 0.19, 0.70), P=0.002] and enhanced BCVA [mean difference = − 0.06 (− 0.12, − 0.01), P=0.03] in pre-existing DR patients following cataract surgery. Steroid drugs also notably reduced MT [mean difference = − 55.63 (− 90.73, − 20.53), I2 = 56%, P=0.002] two weeks post-surgery compared to controls. Safety profiles of various management options exhibited no significant differences.
Investigators concluded that anti-VEGF drugs were effective in slowing DR progression, improving BCVA, and reducing MT in patients with DR who had cataract surgery. Still, more extensive studies are needed to compare treatment options definitively.
Source: link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10792-024-02981-6