Efficacy of dorzolamide in reducing retinal thickness after photocoagulation in diabetic macular oedema

Background: Focal photocoagulation interrupts vascular leakage in diabetic macular oedema, and allows the retinal pigment epithelium to withdraw fluid that thickens the retina; this mechanism could be enhanced by dorzolamide, a topical carbonic anhydrase inhibitor. Objective: To determine the efficacy of dorzolamide compared to placebo, in reducing retinal thickness after focal photocoagulation in eyes with diabetic macular oedema. Material and methods: Experimental, comparative, prospective, longitudinal, double blind study in diabetics with focal macular oedema treated with photocoagulation. Treated eyes were randomly assigned three weeks after the procedure to receive dorzolamide (group 1) or placebo (group 2), three times daily for three weeks. Means of visual acuity, centre point thickness and macular volume were compared 3 and 6 weeks after photocoagulation within groups (Wilcoxon t) and between groups (Mann-Whitney-U). Results: Sixty-nine eyes form patients aged 58.3 +/- 8.3 years; 37 were assigned to group 1 and 42 to group 2. Mean centre point thickness changed from 178.4 +/- 34 mu m to 170 +/- 29.1 mu m in group 1 (p = 0.04), and from 179.2 +/- 22.4 mu m to 178.6 +/- 20.8 mu m in group 2 (p = 0.07); mean macular volume changed from 7.63 +/- 0.52 mm(3) to 7.50 +/- 0.50 mm(3) in group 1 (p = 0.002) and from 7.82 +/- 0.43 mm(3) to 7.76 +/- 0.42 mm(3) in group 2 (p = 0.013). Conclusions: thickness after focal photocoagulation in diabetics with macular oedema. All Rights Reserved (C) 2015 Academia Mexicana de Cirugia A.C.