Visual/anatomical outcome of diabetic macular edema patients lost to follow-up for more than 1 year

• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-97644-2
• Publication Date: 2021-09-15T10:03:59Z
• Authors: Ji Soo Kim; Seungheon Lee; Jin Young Kim; Eoi Jong Seo; Ju Byung Chae; Dong Yoon Kim
• Keywords: Diabetic macular edema

To investigate the visual/anatomical outcome of diabetic macular edema (DME) patients lost to follow-up (LTFU) for more than 1 year during intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment. A retrospective review 182 treatment-naïve DME was performed. Among them, we identified LTFU Visual acuity and anatomic outcomes at first visit, last visit before being LTFU, return after re-treatment were analyzed compared with those regular follow-up. Patients who had continuous visits assigned control group. Sixty (33%) Multivariate analysis revealed that ratio male (p = 0.004), diabetes mellitus (DM) duration less 5 years 0.015), poor early response 0.012) higher Eighteen returned clinic received re-treatment. After anti-VEGF, central subfield thickness (CST) significantly improved CST LTFU. However, visual did not recover level (0.63 ± 0.26 vs. 0.45 0.28, p 0.003). About thirty percent year. Permanent loss observed in these patients. a high risk such as male, DM, initial injections should be treated aggressively improve outcomes.