Real-world outcomes for DME implant

[caption id="attachment_9388" align="alignright" width="1024"] Albert Augustin MD[/caption] The results from real-world clinical practice show sustained improvements lasting up to 36 months following treatment with a single ILUVIEN implant for the treatment of chronic diabetic macular oedema (DME), according to Albert Augustin MD. “In patients that have had suboptimal outcomes despite substantial amounts of prior treatment with anti-VEGF and other DME therapies, the results from real-world clinical practice show sustained improvements lasting up to 36 months following treatment with a single ILUVIEN implant. This duration of action is in agreement with the results from the FAME studies,” said Dr Augustin. Dr Augustin noted that the FAME study was the pivotal trial supporting the registration of ILUVIEN (fluocinolone acetonide) in Europe in 2013 and the United States in 2014. The current RETRO-IDEAL study is a retrospective analysis of 100 ILUVIEN-treated patients in Germany designed to assess real-world outcomes at three years, he said. The goal was to establish if ILUVIEN-treated patients with current first-line therapies show similar safety and efficacy results as in the FAME trial. The results showed that patients gained an average of 5.1 letters at month 36 despite extensive use of therapies prior to receiving ILUVIEN. Significant reductions were also recorded in terms of central macular thickness in treated eyes. There was also a three- to four-fold reduction in the use of anti-VEGF drugs, steroids and laser treatments in patients treated with ILUVIEN. Dr Augustin added that the rate of emergent intraocular pressure (IOP) was also similar to that observed in the FAME study and was effectively managed in all patients at the final follow-up point.