COMPARATIVE EFFECTIVENESS OF ANTI-VEGF AGENTS FOR DIABETIC MACULAR EDEMA

2013 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 392-401 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel A. Ollendorf ◽  
Jennifer A. Colby ◽  
Steven D. Pearson

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy in the treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME).Methods: Searches focused on reports concerning treatment of DME with aflibercept, bevacizumab, pegaptanib, or ranibizumab published between January 2000 and June 30, 2012, with comparisons to laser photocoagulation, sham injection, or other control (e.g., triamcinolone). Effectiveness was based on best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), in terms of letters gained. Direct meta-analyses were conducted on BCVA for each anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agent; indirect comparisons also were performed for each anti-VEGF pair.Results: A total of fifteen randomized controlled trials (eleven fair- or good-quality) and eight observational studies were included. No direct comparative studies were identified. Improvement in visual acuity versus control was seen with all agents (range: 4–9 letters); outcomes were consistent across multiple timepoints. Meta-analyses showed no statistically significant and/or consistent differences between agents in BCVA changes or the percentage of patients gaining more than ten letters. No discernible differences in the potential harms of anti-VEGFs, including ocular events, MI, stroke, and other cardiovascular events, as well as death, were noted between aflibercept, pegaptanib, and ranibizumab. Data on harms for bevacizumab were underreported.Conclusions: All anti-VEGF agents are effective in improving visual acuity in comparison to laser photocoagulation. Evidence is insufficient to distinguish the performance of any single anti-VEGF agent over others. The safety of bevacizumab remains the greatest element of uncertainty.

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Bormann ◽  
Jens Heichel ◽  
Ute Hammer ◽  
Anke Habermann ◽  
Thomas Hammer

Introduction: Complex retinal arterial macroaneurysms (RAM) are often accompanied by hemorrhage and/or affect the macula. We evaluated the effect of intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy using ranibizumab or aflibercept with or without laser photocoagulation in the treatment of macular edema due to RAM. Methods: A case report of two patients with secondary macular edema caused by RAM is presented. The first case was a 76-year-old female treated with two 0.5-mg injections of ranibizumab and additional focal laser photocoagulation. This patient presented a solely intraretinal exudation. The second patient was a 96-year-old female, who received one 2.0-mg injection of aflibercept. She showed sub- and intraretinal edema. We documented the clinical courses of these patients based on fundus photography, fluorescein angiography, and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Patients were followed-up for 12 months. Results: Patients were treated successfully using anti-VEGF therapy (ranibizumab or aflibercept) with or without laser photocoagulation. In both cases, we observed a complete regression of the macular edema and an increase in visual acuity. Conclusion: RAM can manifest with heterogeneous findings. Intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy with or without laser photocoagulation may be an effective treatment option in cases of macular edema due to RAM. Aflibercept and ranibizumab seem to be a potent anti-VEGF therapy for RAM. Individualized patient care is needed.


2020 ◽  
pp. bjophthalmol-2020-315836 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Gale ◽  
Maria Pikoula ◽  
Aaron Y Lee ◽  
Spiros Denaxas ◽  
Catherine Egan ◽  
...  

Background/aimsClinical trials suggest anti-vascular endothelial growth factor is more effective than intravitreal dexamethasone as treatment for macular oedema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion. This study asks if ‘real world’ data from a larger and more diverse population, followed for a longer period, also support this conclusion.MethodsData collected to support routine care at 27 NHS (National Health Service) Trusts between February 2002 and September 2017 contained 5661 treatment-naive patients with a single mode of treatment for macular oedema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion and no history of cataract surgery either during or recently preceding the treatment. Number of treatment visits and change in visual acuity from baseline was plotted for three treatment groups (anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF), intravitreal dexamethasone, macular laser) for up to 3 years.ResultsMean baseline visual acuity was 57.1/53.1/62.3 letters in the anti-VEGF/dexamethasone/macular laser groups, respectively. This changed to 66.72 (+9.6)/57.6 (+4.5)/63.2 (+0.9) at 12 months. Adequate numbers allowed analysis at 18 months for all groups (66.6 (+9.5)/56.1 (+3.0)/60.8 (-1.5)) and for anti-VEGF at 36 months (68.0, +10.9) Mean number of treatments were 5.1/1.5/1.2 at 12 months, 5.9/1.7/1.2 at 18 months for all three groups and 10.3 at 36 months for anti-VEGF.ConclusionsVisual acuity improvements were higher and more sustained with anti-VEGF. Higher treatment burden occurred with anti-VEGF but this reduced over 36 months. Patients with better vision at baseline than those in the clinical trials maintained high levels of vision with both anti-VEGF and dexamethasone.


2016 ◽  
Vol 134 (12) ◽  
pp. 1429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lee M. Jampol ◽  
Adam R. Glassman ◽  
Neil M. Bressler ◽  
John A. Wells ◽  
Allison R. Ayala ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 117917211773824 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason N Crosson ◽  
Lauren Mason ◽  
John O Mason

Introduction: To review important studies examining focal laser for diabetic macular edema (DME), to examine real-world data regarding actual treatments patients are receiving, to present long-term visual outcomes in real-world practice, and to suggest an evidence-based approach for the use of focal laser. Methods: This study is a review of landmark studies evaluating focal laser and pharmacologic therapy for DME. In addition, the authors include a retrospective review of 102 consecutive eyes of 53 patients in our practice setting in rural Alabama. A chart review was performed, and patients were included if they were diagnosed with DME and were treated with both focal laser and bevacizumab. Bevacizumab and focal laser were given on a “as needed basis” at the discretion of one treating physician (J.O.M.). Worse visual acuity or worsening macular edema were indications for additional treatment. Statistical analysis was performed using frequencies and percentages. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was recorded at baseline and at the end of treatment (mean of 5 years) in the medical record. Primary outcome measures were BCVA, patients with better than 20/40 BCVA, patients with worse than 20/200 BCVA, and patients with stable BCVA. Results: Anti–vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapies are the first-line treatment for DME, but real-world claims data suggest that diabetic patients cannot come in for monthly injections as in large clinical trials. In our series, after a mean of 5 lasers and 5.5 injections, 90% of eyes had stable or better BCVA, 65% were ≥20/40, and only 13% were ≤20/200. Conclusions: Laser treatment for DME remains an important adjunctive therapy


2018 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 2
Author(s):  
Cindy Ung ◽  
Kareem Moussa ◽  
Yoshihiro Yonekawa

Diabetic macular edema (DME) is the main cause of visual impairment in diabetic patients. Intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy is considered the first-line treatment option in the management of DME with corticosteroids used as second-line therapy. The DRCR.net Protocol U study was a Phase II trial that sought to compare the combination of a steroid and anti-VEGF therapy to anti-VEGF monotherapy regarding visual acuity and anatomic outcomes. This review highlights the strengths, weaknesses, and clinical implications of this study.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. e0247161
Author(s):  
Ameay V. Naravane ◽  
Rusdeep Mundae ◽  
Yujia Zhou ◽  
Christopher Santilli ◽  
Frederik J. G. M. van Kuijk ◽  
...  

Regularly scheduled intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injections are essential to maintaining and/or improving many ocular conditions including: neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), diabetic retinopathy, and retinal vein occlusions with macular edema (RVO). This study aims to assess the effect of unintended delays in anti-VEGF treatment during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. This retrospective case series identified patients receiving regularly scheduled anti-VEGF intravitreal injections based on current procedural terminology (CPT) code at two practices in Minnesota. Diagnoses were limited to nAMD, diabetic macular edema (DME), proliferative diabetic retinopathy, and RVO. Patients were divided into two groups based on whether they maintained or delayed their follow-up visit by more than two weeks beyond the recommended treatment interval during the COVID-19 lockdown. The ‘COVID-19 lockdown’ was defined as the period after March, 28th, 2020, when a lockdown was declared in Minnesota. We then compared the visual acuity and structural changes to the retina using ocular coherence tomography (OCT) to assess whether delayed treatment resulted in worse visual outcomes. A total of 167 eyes from 117 patients met criteria for inclusion in this study. In the delayed group, the average BCVA at the pre- and post-lockdown visits were 0.614 and 0.715 (logMAR) respectively (p = 0.007). Central subfield thickness (CST) increased from 341 to 447 in the DME delayed group (p = 0.03) while the CST increased from 301 to 314 (p = 0.4) in the nAMD delayed group. The results of this pilot study suggests that treatment delays may have a negative impact on the visual and anatomic outcomes of patients with nAMD and DME. Future studies with larger sample sizes are required for further investigation.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Setsuko Kawakami ◽  
Yoshihiro Wakabayashi ◽  
Kazuhiko Umazume ◽  
Yoshihiko Usui ◽  
Daisuke Muramatsu ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose: To study long-term clinical outcomes in patients with submacular hemorrhage (SMH) and/or vitreous hemorrhage (VH) associated with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), who received pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) followed by anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy.Methods: In this retrospective case series, 25 eyes with SMH and/or VH associated with nAMD were treated by PPV and followed for at least 24 months. When exudative changes were unresolved or recurred after PPV, additional intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy was given. Results:Mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of all patients improved significantly at 1, 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24 months (P<0.01) post-PPV and at the final visit (P<0.05). Mean BCVA of 13 eyes with anti-VEGF therapy improved significantly at 1 (P<0.05), 3, 6, 12 (P<0.01), 18 and 24 months (P<0.05), while 12 eyes without anti-VEGF therapy improved at 1, 3 and 6 months (P<0.05) only. Average duration from initial PPV to anti-VEGF therapy initiation was 7.54±9.9 months. Five of 13 eyes (38.5%) with anti-VEGF therapy maintained dry macula for more than 1 year after the last injection. Conclusions: In patients with SMH and VH caused by nAMD, administering intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy when exudative changes are unresolved or recur after PPV maintains improved visual acuity long term.


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