Study of the efficacy and the mechanism of action of lanreotide for the treatment of persistent diabetic macular edema

The current treatments for diabetic macular edema (DME) include laser, steroids or vascular endothelial growth factors inhibitors (antiVEGF). Some DME are resistant to these treatments, which can respond to somatostatin inhibitors such as lanreotide. These drugs appear to influence the development of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and DME either through a direct antiVEGF effect or through the inhibition of growth hormone (GH), endothelial cell apoptosis and anti-inflammatory effect. It was conducted a study of the effects of lanreotide in retinal pigment epithelial cell cultures and a clinical study in patients with DME resistant to conventional treatments in order to better understand the usefulness of this drug. Lanreotide showed antiapoptotic effects and significantly improved visual acuity. Lanreotide could be applied in non-respondent patients to other treatments as an alternative in refractory DME patients.