Injectable steroids demonstrate efficacy for treating diabetic complications

Triamcinolone (a corticosteroid), when injected directly into the eye, for treating progression of a complication of diabetes, diabetic retinopathy can be more than just useful, according to a study.

The finding was disclosed in the December issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

From Sciencedaily.com:

Corticosteroids have been shown to interfere with the creation of new blood vessels, possibly by reducing the production of compounds that spur their growth, the authors note. However, steroids are also associated with other eye diseases.

"Use of this intravitreal [injected into the eye] corticosteroid preparation to reduce the likelihood of progression of retinopathy is not warranted at this time because of the increased risk of glaucoma and cataract associated with intravitreal steroid use," the authors write. "Any treatment to be used routinely to prevent proliferative diabetic retinopathy likely needs to be relatively safe because the condition already can be treated successfully and safely with panretinal photocoagulation. Nevertheless, further investigation with regard to the role of pharmacotherapy for reduction of the incidence of progression of retinopathy appears to be warranted."

The finding was revealed after a study involving 840 eyes of 693 participants having macular edema was conducted by Neil M. Bressler, M.D., of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, and colleagues in the Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network.