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Long-term therapeutic efficacy of the subthreshold micropulse diode laser photocoagulation for diabetic macular edema

  • Clinical Investigation
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the long-term efficacy of subthreshold micropulse diode laser photocoagulation (SMDLP) on diabetic macular edema (DME).

Methods

The effects of SMDLP (810 nm) were studied on 56 eyes of 44 patients with DME. Optical coherence tomography-determined foveal thickness and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were evaluated at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after the SMDLP.

Results

The mean foveal thickness was 504 μm before the SMDLP, and it was significantly reduced to 439 μm at 1 month (P = 0.001), 409 μm at 3 months (P < 0.0001), 358 μm at 6 months (P < 0.0001), and 320 μm at 12 months (P < 0.0001). The mean BCVA at baseline was 0.47 logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution (logMAR) units, and it was not changed significantly at all of the postoperative examinations. Among the 56 eyes, 10 (17.8%) had an improvement of BCVA of >0.2 logMAR units, 36 (64.2%) remained the same, and 10 eyes (17.8%) had a reduction of >0.2 logMAR units at 12 months postoperatively.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that SMDLP has a beneficial effect on DME. However, prospective studies are needed to evaluate this technique in more detail.

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Author information

Author notes

  1. Yoko Takatsuna

    Present address: Department of Ophthalmology, Chiba Rosai Hospital, 2-16 Tatsumidai-higashi, Ichihara, Chiba, 290-0003, Japan

  2. Yosuke Nakamura

    Present address: Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8670, Japan

    Yoko Takatsuna, Shuichi Yamamoto, Yosuke Nakamura, Tomoaki Tatsumi, Miyuki Arai & Yoshinori Mitamura

  2. Department of Ophthalmology, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, Japan

    Yoshinori Mitamura

Authors
  1. Yoko Takatsuna
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  2. Shuichi Yamamoto
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  3. Yosuke Nakamura
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  4. Tomoaki Tatsumi
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  5. Miyuki Arai
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  6. Yoshinori Mitamura
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yoko Takatsuna.

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Takatsuna, Y., Yamamoto, S., Nakamura, Y. et al. Long-term therapeutic efficacy of the subthreshold micropulse diode laser photocoagulation for diabetic macular edema. Jpn J Ophthalmol 55, 365–369 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10384-011-0033-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10384-011-0033-3

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