Abstract:Objective To analyze the effects of intravitreal injection of conbercept combined with macular grid photocoagulation on visual acuity improvement and serum levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME). Methods Seventy-six patients with DME treated from March 2016 to August 2018 were randomly divided into control group and observation group (n=38, each). The intravitreal injection of conbercept was given in control group, and macular grating photocoagulation was added in observation group based on conbercept. The improvement time of retinal edema, exudation absorption time, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular retinal thickness (CRT), serum levels of MCP-1, VEGF and the incidence of complications were compared between two groups. Results The improvement time of retinal edema and the absorption time of exudation in observation group were less than those in control group (P<0.05), and BCVA in observation group was significantly higher than that in control group respectively at 1-, 3- and 6- month after treatment (P<0.05); CRT, serum MCP-1 and VEGF levels in observation group were statistically lower than those in control group respectively at 1-, 3- and 6- month after treatment (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of complications between observation group and control group (7.89% vs 5.26%, P>0.05). Conclusion Intravitreal injection of conbercept combined with macular grid photocoagulation in the treatment of DME can boost the improvement of retinal edema and exudation absorption, improve the thickness of macular fovea retina and promote the best corrected visual acuity of patients safely. Downregulation of MCP-1 and VEGF may be one of the mechanisms for the effective treatment, and MCP-1 inhibitor may provide a new direction for DME treatment.