Serum levels of triamcinolone acetonide after intravitreal injection

PURPOSE: To evaluate serum levels of triamcinolone acetonide after intravitreal high-dose injection. DESIGN: Prospective, interventional case series study. METHODS: For 20 consecutive patients, venous blood samples were taken before and 13 +/- 19 days (range 4 to 92) after an intravitreal injection of 20 to 25 mg triamcinolone acetonide as treatment of edematous mac, ular diseases. RESULTS: Serum levels of triamcinolone acetonide did not differ significantly (P =.174; t test for paired matches) preoperatively (0 mug/l) and postoperatively (0.065 mug/l +/- 0.21 mug/l). In 18 eyes (90%), triamcinolone acetonide could not be detected in serum samples. For two patients (10%), serum samples taken 5 days and 7 days after the injection, respectively, contained 0.5 mug/l triamcinolone acetonide and 0.8 mug/l triamcinolone acetonide, respectively. CONCLUSION: After an intravitreal high-dose injection of 20 to 25 mg triamcinolone acetonide, triamcinolone acetonide is not, or only marginally, detectable in serum samples obtained within 4 to 92 days after the injection. (C) 2004 by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.