Short-Term Fluctuation of Diabetic Macular Edema After Intravitreal Ranibizumab Injection

In Brief Purpose: To examine the short-term fluctuation of diabetic macular edema (DME) after one intravitreal ranibizumab injection. Methods: Twenty consecutive patients with DME received an intravitreal injection of ranibizumab (0.05 mL/0.5 mg). Assessment of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), fundus biomicroscopy, MP-1 fundus-related perimetry using follow-up strategy (pattern macula 8° 0 dB with threshold strategy 4–2), and optical coherence tomography central macular thickness (CMT),were performed at baseline and 1 hour, 24 hours, 14 days, 28 days, and 56 days after intravitreal injection of ranibizumab. Results: A total of 18 eyes of 18 patients (9 male, 9 female; mean age, 62.28 ± 8.08 years; range, 48–75 years) who completed the 56-day follow-up were included for analysis. Intravitreal ranibizumab was found to produce significant improvements in mean BCVA and MP-1 sensitivity, as well as reduction in mean CMT, after one injection. This anatomical and functional improvement, which compared with baseline was evident as soon as the 1-hour follow-up (mean CMT reduction: t = 1.7899, P = 0.045; mean MP-1 sensitivity improvement: t = −1.9891, P = 0.0315), and lasted until the 56-day follow-up (mean BCVA improvement: t = 2.26, P < 0.05; mean CMT reduction: t = 3.61, P < 0.05; MP-1 sensitivity improvement: t = −5.21, P < 0.05). Conclusion: These short-term observations give insights into the physiopathology of DME treated with a intravitreal ranibizumab injection. In this prospective evaluation of short-term fluctuation of diabetic macular edema, intravitreal ranibizumab was found to produce significant improvements in mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and MP-1 sensitivity, as well as reduction in mean central macular thickness (CMT), after 1 injection. This anatomical and functional improvement, which was evident as soon as the 1-hour follow-up (CMT and MP-1 sensitivity), lasted until the 56-day follow-up (CMT, BCVA, and MP-1 sensitivity).