Effects of Topically Administered Neuroprotective Drugs in Early Stages of Diabetic Retinopathy: Results of the EUROCONDOR Clinical Trial

What Was Tested

This randomized controlled trial paper looks at Somatostatin in the context of diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma.

For this purpose, adults aged between 45 and 75 years with a diabetes duration ≥5 years and an Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) level of ≤35 were randomly assigned to one of three arms: placebo, somatostatin, or brimonidine.

Why It Was Studied

The primary outcome was the change in implicit time (IT) assessed by multifocal electroretinography between baseline and at the end of follow-up (96 weeks).

There were 449 eligible patients allocated to brimonidine (n = 152), somatostatin (n = 145), or placebo (n = 152).

Who Took Part

The study group was 449 patients.

By PubMed's age tags, the people studied were middle-aged adults and older adults.

How the Study Was Run

The researchers set it up as a randomized and placebo-controlled study.

Because people in this Somatostatin study were split into groups at random, differences between the groups are less likely to reflect who happened to join each one.

Some patients received a placebo instead of Somatostatin, giving a reference point.

What Was Measured

The primary outcome was the change in implicit time (IT) assessed by multifocal electroretinography between baseline and at the end of follow-up (96 weeks).

The subject headings attached to it are Administration, Topical, Brimonidine Tartrate, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Diabetic Retinopathy, Neuroprotective Agents and Somatostatin.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized and placebo-controlled study of Somatostatin in 449 patients in people with diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma.

With several hundred people or more, it is a fairly large study for this kind of research.

The publication is from 2019 (Diabetes), a journal based in United States.

More context: the Somatostatin compound page, Diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma research.