Intravitreal injection of Conbercept combined with micropulse laser therapy enhances clinical efficacy in patients with diabetic macular edema

Purpose: To analyze the clinical efficacy of intravitreal injection of Conbercept (IVC) combined with micropulse laser (MPL) therapy in the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME).

Methods: In this retrospective study, we selected 64 DME patients who visited the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province between February 2019 and February 2021 for analysis. Based on different intervention methods, 31 cases treated with IVC were included as a control group (the Con group) and 33 cases with IVC + MPL combination therapy were in a research group (the Res group). Data on curative effects, injection frequency, pre- and post-treatment best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT), visual field gray value, 30° visual field average light threshold sensitivity, and mean visual field defect (VFD) were collected for inter-group comparisons. Further, Cox multivariate regression analysis was performed to identify factors affecting the curative efficacy of DME patients.

Results: Compared with the Con group, the Res group had a higher total response rate and a lower injection frequency. In addition, higher BCVA and lower CMT were determined in the Res after 6 months of treatment. Moreover, Res group exhibited statistically lower visual field gray value and mean VFD, as well as higher 30° visual field average light threshold sensitivity than the Con at 1 month postoperatively. All the above differences were statistically significant. According to the Cox multivariate regression analysis, treatment modality was the influencing factor for the efficacy of DME patients.

Conclusions: IVC + MPL have better clinical efficacy than IVC alone for DME. The combined modality can improve patients' visual quality, inhibit DME, and reduce medication frequency.