RANDOMIZED COMPARISON OF KRYPTON VERSUS ARGON SCATTER PHOTOCOAGULATION FOR DIABETIC DISC NEOVASCULARIZATION - THE KRYPTON ARGON REGRESSION NEOVASCULARIZATION STUDY REPORT NUMBER 1
A. Kassoff et al., RANDOMIZED COMPARISON OF KRYPTON VERSUS ARGON SCATTER PHOTOCOAGULATION FOR DIABETIC DISC NEOVASCULARIZATION - THE KRYPTON ARGON REGRESSION NEOVASCULARIZATION STUDY REPORT NUMBER 1, Ophthalmology, 100(11), 1993, pp. 1655-1664
Background: The Krypton Argon Regression of Neovascularization Study (
KARNS) was designed to compare the efficacy of red krypton versus blue
-green argon laser photocoagulation for the management of high-risk pr
oliferative diabetic retinopathy. Methods: A prospective, randomized c
linical trial was performed in 24 clinical centers. Patients (n = 696,
907 eyes) with diabetes and neovascularization of the disc (NVD) of o
ne-third disc area or greater in extent were assigned at random to eit
her argon or krypton laser scatter (panretinal) photocoagulation. The
major endpoint of the regression of NVD to less than one-third disc ar
ea in extent at 3 months was evaluated by comparisons of gradings of t
he fundus photographs obtained at baseline and follow-up. Results: At
3 months' follow-up, the proportion of eyes with regression of NVD to
less than or equal to one-third disc area in extent were 41.1% in the
argon-treated group and 41.8% in the krypton-treated group (P = 0.92).
The odds of regressing to this extent of NVD at 3 months for argon-tr
eated eyes versus krypton-treated eyes was 0.98 (95% confidence interv
al, 0.74-1.31). Conclusion: Scatter laser photocoagulation with either
krypton red or argon appears to be equally effective in the treatment
of proliferative diabetic retinopathy with NVD.