The aim of this paper is to compare intravitreous aflibercept versus dexamethasone implant followed by aflibercept ( sequential treatment group ) in patients with diabetic macular edema ( DME ) .
Sequential Dexamethasone and Aflibercept Treatment in Patients with Diabetic Macular Edema: Structural and Functional Outcomes at 52 Weeks.  The aim of this paper is to compare intravitreous aflibercept versus dexamethasone implant followed by aflibercept ( sequential treatment group ) in patients with diabetic macular edema ( DME ) . ### methods We conducted an observational retrospective study in naïve DME patients, 15 treated only with aflibercept (a monthly injection for the first 5 consecutive doses, followed by an injection every 2 months), and 15 treated with a single dexamethasone implant followed by bimonthly aflibercept. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT), and qualitative features as well as adverse events were assessed at baseline and at 2, 6, and 12 months. ### results BCVA increased from 70.8 ± 4.1 to 83.5 ± 2.7 letters with aflibercept and from 75.6 ± 2.7 to 86.5 ± 2.5 with sequential treatment (p = 0.551). CMT decreased from 411 ± 26.1 to 288.1 ± 10.5 with aflibercept and from 411.4 ± 24.3 to 260.8 ± 17.9 in the sequential treatment group. The differences between the 2 groups, in terms of visual gain and decreased MT, were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Nine and 6 injections and 9 and 7 monitoring visits were performed. ### conclusion Sequential treatment in DME, starting with dexamethasone and followed by aflibercept, is a promising alternative that can reduce the treatment burden in the first year without statistically significant differences in terms of visual gain and decreased MT compared to aflibercept only.
### Instruction:
            Given the context about compound efficacy for the given treatment mentioned within the input, mentioned the compounds 
            that can co-occur for the mentioned treatment

            ### Input:
            Sequential Dexamethasone and Aflibercept Treatment in Patients with Diabetic Macular Edema: Structural and Functional Outcomes at 52 Weeks.  The aim of this paper is to compare intravitreous aflibercept versus dexamethasone implant followed by aflibercept ( sequential treatment group ) in patients with diabetic macular edema ( DME ) . ### methods We conducted an observational retrospective study in naïve DME patients, 15 treated only with aflibercept (a monthly injection for the first 5 consecutive doses, followed by an injection every 2 months), and 15 treated with a single dexamethasone implant followed by bimonthly aflibercept. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT), and qualitative features as well as adverse events were assessed at baseline and at 2, 6, and 12 months. ### results BCVA increased from 70.8 ± 4.1 to 83.5 ± 2.7 letters with aflibercept and from 75.6 ± 2.7 to 86.5 ± 2.5 with sequential treatment (p = 0.551). CMT decreased from 411 ± 26.1 to 288.1 ± 10.5 with aflibercept and from 411.4 ± 24.3 to 260.8 ± 17.9 in the sequential treatment group. The differences between the 2 groups, in terms of visual gain and decreased MT, were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Nine and 6 injections and 9 and 7 monitoring visits were performed. ### conclusion Sequential treatment in DME, starting with dexamethasone and followed by aflibercept, is a promising alternative that can reduce the treatment burden in the first year without statistically significant differences in terms of visual gain and decreased MT compared to aflibercept only.

            ### Response:
            aflibercept, dexamethasone, aflibercept
            