Uveitic Macular Edema: Clinical Outcomes in Real-World Practice

PURPOSE: To examine the real-world management and outcomes of uveitic cystoid macular oedema (CME).

DESIGN: Retrospective study.

METHODS: Patients with uveitic CME were identified from the Inflammatory Eye Disease database. 248 eyes of 218 patients with uveitic CME were identified. Main Outcome Measures: Time to resolution, time to recurrence and vision loss.

RESULTS: Median age at time of CME was 51.7 years [IQR 37.3-63.9]. Overall likelihood of resolution was 209/248 eyes (85.3%). Resolution occurred in 34.1% with topical therapy, 69.2% treated with oral prednisone (72.9% if prednisone dose ≥ 60 mg/day), 73.5% treated with orbital floor steroid, and 86.7% treated with intravitreal steroid. On multivariate analysis, ERM was associated with decreased resolution of CME (HR 0.735 p = 0.045). Additionally, infectious aetiology approached significance (HR 0.635 p = 0.059) for CME resolution. Recurrence occurred in 85 eyes (36.5%). Predictors of increased likelihood of recurrence were current smoking status (HR 1.818 p = 0.042) and subretinal fluid at diagnosis (HR 1.577 p = 0.043). Eyes with infectious aetiology had lower chance of CME resolution, but those that did resolve had lower probability of recurrence (HR 0.891 p = 0.019). Moderate vision loss (20/50-20/200) occurred in 24 eyes (9/7%) and severe vision loss (≤20/200) in 17 eyes (6.9%).

CONCLUSIONS: Management of CME is challenging given the heterogeneous aetiologies, severity of the macular edema as well as response to the therapy. A high rate of resolution was observed, given sufficient time, but recurrence occurs in one-third. Current smoking status plays an important role in the risk of recurrence of CME and patients should be encouraged to stop smoking.