THREE-YEAR OUTCOMES IN A RANDOMIZED SINGLE-BLIND CONTROLLED TRIAL OF INTRAVITREAL RANIBIZUMAB AND ORAL SUPPLEMENTATION WITH DOCOSAHEXAENOIC ACID AND ANTIOXIDANTS FOR DIABETIC MACULAR EDEMA

PURPOSE: To report 3-year results of a randomized single-blind controlled trial of intravitreal ranibizumab combined with oral docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation versus ranibizumab alone in patients with diabetic macular edema. METHODS: There were 26 patients (31 eyes) in the DHA group and 29 (38 eyes) in the control group. Ranibizumab (0.5 mg) was administered monthly for the first 4 months followed by a pro re nata (PRN) regimen. In the experimental group, patients received oral DHA supplementation (1,050 mg/day) (Brudyretina 1.5 g). RESULTS: At 36 months, mean decrease of central subfield macular thickness was higher in the DHA-supplementation group than in controls (275 ± 50 μm vs. 310 ± 97 μm) with significant differences at Months 25, 30, 33, and 34. Between-group differences in best-corrected visual acuity were not found, but the percentages of ETRDS gains >5 and >10 letters were higher in the DHA-supplementation group. Differences serum HbA1c, plasma total antioxidant capacity values, erythrocyte DHA content, and serum IL-6 levels were all significant in favor of the DHA-supplementation group. CONCLUSION: The addition of a high-rich DHA dietary supplement to intravitreal ranibizumab was effective to achieve better sustained improvement of central subfield macular thickness outcomes after 3 years of follow-up as compared with intravitreal ranibizumab alone.