Purpose. To evaluate clinical efficacy of using nutraceutical "Resvega Forte" in complex treatment neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) against the background anti-VEGF therapy using ranibizumab (LUCENTIS®). Material and methods. The object of the study was 30 patients (30 eyes) with nAMD, who received 3 "loading" intravitreal injections (IVI) of 0,5 mg (0,05 ml) ranibizumab at intervals of 1 time per month, then within a year – by the protocol "Tread-and-Extend" with increase interval between injections by 2 weeks in the absence of disease activity and its reduction in case of resumption of activity. Patients of the 1st group (16 people) were supplemented with 3 "loading" IVI of ranibizumab with appointment of "Resvega Forte" complex for 3 months and then after 6 months. Patients of the 2nd group (14 people) did not receive "Resvega Forte" complex. To assess the effectiveness of treatment, in addition to standard methods, optical coherence tomography was performed with assessment of the central retinal thickness (CRT), the presence of detachment of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), retinal neuroepithelium (RNE), sub- and intraretinal fluid under PE. Results. By the 12th month of observation, none of the patients of the 1st group against the background of using two complexes "Resvega Forte" was found to have resumption of disease activity: the BCVA increased 3 times and amounted to 0,78±0,04, the average indexes of CRT corresponded to the norm (249,5±12,1 µm). The interval between injections increased to 12 weeks, and their total number was 7. In the 2nd group, the resumption of disease activity was noted twice, which was accompanied by decrease in the functional and morphological parameters of retina and required decrease in the intervals between injections to 10 weeks, which accordingly led to an increase in their number to 9-10. Conclusion. The inclusion of nutraceutical "Resvega Forte" in the treatment regimen of nAMD against the background of the therapy using angiogenesis inhibitor LUCENTIS® in the protocol "Tread-and-Extend" mode allows to reduce the risk of progression of nAMD, as well as to improve the functional and morphological parameters of retina. An integrated approach makes it possible to increase the interval between injections and reduce additional monitoring, which reduces the burden on both the patient and the doctor. Key words: neovascular age-related macular degeneration, aflibercept, nutraceuticals, "Resvega forte".
Changes in retinal arteriolar oxygen saturation predict disease activity in patients treated with aflibercept for neovascular age-related macular degeneration