This clinical trial demonstrated that intravitreal erythropoietin had no additional effect to IVB in the treatment of refractory DME in the short term.
In vitro and in vivo experimental studies as well as small interventional clinical studies suggest a potential beneficial effect of externally administered EPO in early diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular oedema.
Intravitreal erythropoietin concentration was higher in both PDR and DME patients than in nondiabetic control subjects (PDR vs. control subjects: median 302 [range 117-1,850] vs. 30 mU/ml [10-75], P < 0.01; DME vs. control subjects: 430 [41-3,000] vs. 30 mU/ml [10-75], P < 0.01).