Triamcinolone associated with few side effects

Intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (IVTA) for the treatment of steroid-responsive disorders of the posterior segment is associated with a low incidence of serious vision-threatening adverse events, according to a report published in the January issue of Retina.

Daniel Roth of the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Jersey, USA and colleagues retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 784 patients (929 consecutive eyes) who had received one or more IVTA injections for a steroid-responsive posterior segment disorder.

The most common adverse event occurring within three months of the initial injection was steroid-related ocular hypertension, with intraocular pressure spikes of >21 mmHg in 21% of eyes and >25 mmHg in 11% of eyes. Ocular inflammation was observed in six eyes (0.6%) and three eyes (0.3%) had corneal epithelial defects thought to be related to pretreatment with povidone-iodine solution. No eyes had culture-positive infectious endophthalmitis.

When administered under sterile conditions, concluded the authors, IVTA is associated with a low incidence of serious adverse events.