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Sustained-Release Steroids for the Treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema

  • Microvascular Complications—Retinopathy (JK Sun, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Glucocorticoids have been used for decades in the treatment of ocular disorders via topical, periocular, and more recently intravitreal routes. However, their exact mechanisms of action on ocular tissues remain imperfectly understood. Fortunately, two recently approved intravitreal sustained-release drug delivery systems have opened new perspectives for these very potent drugs. To date, among other retinal conditions, their label includes diabetic macular edema, for which a long-lasting therapeutic effect has been demonstrated both morphologically and functionally in several randomized clinical trials. The rate of ocular complications of intravitreal sustained-release steroids, mainly cataract formation and intraocular pressure elevation, is higher than with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents. Yet, a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying these adverse effects and the search for the minimal efficient dose should help optimize their therapeutic window.

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Conflict of Interest

Alejandra Daruich, Alexandre Matet, and Francine Behar-Cohen declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Department of Ophthalmology, University of Lausanne, Jules-Gonin Eye Hospital, Fondation Asile des Aveugles, Avenue de France 15, 1004, Lausanne, Switzerland

      Alejandra Daruich, Alexandre Matet & Francine Behar-Cohen

    2. Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Université Paris 06, UMR 1138, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, 3 rue de l’Ecole de Médecine, 75006, Paris, France

      Francine Behar-Cohen

    3. INSERM, UMR 1138, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, 3 rue de l’Ecole de Médecine, 75006, Paris, France

      Francine Behar-Cohen

    4. Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, UMR 1138, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, 3 rue de l’Ecole de Médecine, 75006, Paris, France

      Francine Behar-Cohen

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    1. Alejandra Daruich
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    Correspondence to Francine Behar-Cohen.

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    This article is part of the Topical Collection on Microvascular Complications—Retinopathy

    Alejandra Daruich and Alexandre Matet contributed equally to this work.

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    Daruich, A., Matet, A. & Behar-Cohen, F. Sustained-Release Steroids for the Treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema. Curr Diab Rep 15, 99 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-015-0669-3

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-015-0669-3

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