# Stabilizing Macular Edema Fluctuations: Outcomes of Intravitreal Fluocinolone Acetonide for Diabetic Macular Edema and Non-Infectious Uveitis

## TL;DR

This study shows that intravitreal fluocinolone acetonide helps reduce and stabilize retinal thickness in patients with diabetic macular edema and non-infectious uveitis.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates the effectiveness of fluocinolone acetonide in stabilizing retinal thickness fluctuations in real-world clinical settings.

## Key findings

- Intravitreal fluocinolone acetonide significantly reduced central retinal thickness amplitude in diabetic macular edema patients over two years.
- Similar reductions in retinal thickness fluctuations were observed in non-infectious uveitis patients.
- Best-corrected visual acuity remained stable in both patient groups during treatment.

## Abstract

Background/Objectives: Chronic macular edema (CME) is a common complication of diabetic retinopathy or non-infectious uveitis affecting the posterior segment (NIU-PS). Alongside anti-VEGF therapy, glucocorticoids are frequently used to manage CME. Given the heterogeneous nature of patients’ medical history, their social conditions, and disease manifestations, individualized treatment is essential for optimal outcomes. This study assesses the effectiveness of intravitreal fluocinolone acetonide (FA) (Iluvien®) in treating persistent and recurrent macular edema in clinical practice at the University Hospital of Erlangen–Nuremberg, Germany. Methods: A total of 46 eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME) (21 eyes) and NIU-PS (25 eyes) were retrospectively analyzed over a follow-up period of up to 36 months. Since persistent retinal thickness fluctuations are linked to long-term retinal damage and functional decline, this study analyzed central retinal thickness (CRT)—including its fluctuations measured as CRT amplitude—alongside BCVA as the primary outcomes. Results: After an initial decrease in CRT in the first year after FA treatment, the maximum CRT amplitude significantly decreased in the following years. For patients with DME, CRT amplitude reduced from 271.4 µm to 91.57 µm in the first year (p = 0.0056) and 106.0 µm in the second year (p = 0.0109). For patients with NIU-PS, CRT amplitude decreased from 185.2 µm to 87.7 µm in the first year (p = 0.0131) and 97.3 µm in the second year (p = 0.0375). Mean BCVA remained stable in both cohorts. Conclusions: Intravitreal FA proved to be effective in reducing and stabilizing CRT in patients with chronic DME and NIU-PS without losing visual acuity, reducing treatment burden.