scholarly journals Intravitreal aflibercept following treat and extend protocol versus fixed protocol for treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alaa Din Abdin ◽  
Asem Mohamed ◽  
Cristian Munteanu ◽  
Isabel Weinstein ◽  
Achim Langenbucher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Macular Degeneration ◽  
Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽  
First Year ◽  
Treat And Extend ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Intravitreal Aflibercept ◽  
Group 2 ◽  
One Year ◽  
Number Of Injections ◽  
Group 1

Abstract Background To assess the morphological and functional outcome of intravitreal aflibercept following the treat and extend protocol compared to the fixed protocol for treatment of eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Methods This retrospective study included 126 eyes of 113 patients with primary onset neovascular age-related macular degeneration who were followed for 12 months. All eyes were treated with 2 mg/0.05 mL aflibercept. All eyes received an upload with three monthly aflibercept injections. We subsequently studied two groups of eyes. For group 1, 54 eyes were treated following the treat and extend protocol. For group 2, 72 eyes were treated following the fixed protocol (fixed 2-monthly interval). Main outcome measures included: best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT) and number of injections. Results BCVA (logMAR) in group 1 vs group 2 was (0.61 ± 0.3 vs 0.72 ± 0.3, p = 0.09) before treatment and (0.48 ± 0.3 vs 0.51 ± 0.3, p = 0.6) after one year of treatment. CMT in group 1 vs group 2 was (371 ± 101 μm vs 393 ± 116 μm, p = 0.5) before treatment and (284 ± 60 μm vs 290 ± 67 μm, p = 0.1) after one year of treatment. Number of injections/eye in group 1 vs group 2 was (8.5 ± 2.2 vs 7.0 ± 0, p < 0.001). Conclusions Significant differences regarding BCVA and central macular thickness were not found between both treatment protocols during the first year of treatment using aflibercept. However, a significantly higher number of injections was needed for eyes in the treat and extend group during the first year of treatment. This might suggest that aflibercept should better not be extended past an 8 weeks interval during the first year of treatment. Study registration This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Medical Association of Saarland, Germany (Nr. 123/20, Date: 16.06.2020). All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors.

Switch to Aflibercept in the Treatment of Neovascular AMD: One-Year Results in Clinical Practice

2015 ◽  
Vol 233 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 155-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
João Pinheiro-Costa ◽  
José M. Costa ◽  
João N. Beato ◽  
Paulo Freitas-da-Costa ◽  
Elisete Brandão ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visual Acuity ◽  
Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽  
Neovascular Amd ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Intravitreal Aflibercept ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Group 2 ◽  
One Year ◽  
Group 1

Purpose: To report the clinical outcomes of intravitreal aflibercept therapy in eyes with refractory and recurrent neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) switched from intravitreal bevacizumab or ranibizumab. Methods: This is a retrospective review of eyes with neovascular AMD switched to intravitreal aflibercept with at least 1 year of follow-up after the switch. All patients had had a minimum of 3 injections of bevacizumab or ranibizumab before the switch. Aflibercept was used in patients considered refractory to bevacizumab (group 1) and in recurrent patients on therapy with ranibizumab due to an institutional policy decision (group 2). Changes in best-corrected visual acuity, fluid on optical coherence tomography (OCT), central retinal thickness (CRT) and the frequency of injections were compared. Results: Eighty-five eyes of 69 patients were analyzed, 39 eyes in group 1 and 46 in group 2. The mean follow-up time was 31.6 months prior to the switch and 14.7 months on treatment with aflibercept. One year after the switch, there was a nonsignificant mean decrease of 2 letters in visual acuity in both groups (group 1: from 58.2 to 55.8 letters, p = 0.086; group 2: from 56.4 to 54.5 letters, p = 0.168), but the mean number of injections per month was significantly lower (from 0.76 to 0.57, p < 0.001). With the switch, 90.6% of the patients showed anatomic improvement with a reduction of fluid on OCT, and both groups presented significant improvement in CRT (group 1: 65.3 µm, p = 0.051; group 2: 91.0 µm, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Aflibercept appears to be a valuable tool for the management of patients with poor responses to other anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs. These patients could have anatomic improvement, and the injection intervals could be extended.

Long-term outcomes of ranibizumab treatment in neovascular age-related macular degeneration

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 102-107
Author(s):  
Burak Simsek ◽  
◽  
Isilay Ozsoy Koyun ◽  
Sevil Ari Yaylali ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Macular Degeneration ◽  
Anterior Segment ◽  
Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Group 3 ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Group 2 ◽  
Number Of Injections ◽  
Group 1

AIM: To investigate 3-year results in our neovascular age related macular degeneration (NV-AMD) patients treated with ranibizumab. METHODS: Retrospective study. Visual acuity (VA), a full biomicroscopic examination (anterior segment and fundus), and optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings were noted at every visit. All patients were followed monthly. The VA values for the visits closest to 12, 24, and 36mo were analysed. 101 eyes of 73 patients were enrolled. According to the initial VA, the patients were divided three groups: initial VA ≤35 (Group 1), 36-54 (Group 2), and ≥55 letters (Group 3). After three loading doses of 0.5 mg ranibizumab if retreatment was needed, again, 0.5 mg ranibizumab was administered RESULTS: Totally 57 of the 101 eyes were from males and 44 were from females. The average age was 75.1 years. The difference on the changes of VA among three groups at 24 and 36mo were statistically significant (P=0.02 and 0.001 respectively). At the end of the 36-month follow-up the VA increase in Group 2 was significant (P=0.001). At the 12, 24, and 36mo visits most of the eyes showed no VA loss and most of these eyes were in Group 1. The average number of injections administered was 7.3 and the average number of visits was 23.9 during the follow-up. CONCLUSION: VA improvement was significant in those with mild initial VA (36-54 letters). Most eyes showed no VA loss regardless of the initial VA. No correlation between the final VA and the average number of injections.

scholarly journals Seven-Year Visual and Anatomical Outcomes of Intravitreal Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Inhibition for Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Martin Stattin ◽  
Julia Forster ◽  
Daniel Ahmed ◽  
Anna-Maria Haas ◽  
Alexandra Graf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Factor ◽  
Macular Degeneration ◽  
Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽  
Secondary Outcome ◽  
First Year ◽  
Anti Vegf ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Endothelial Growth Factor ◽  
Anatomical Outcomes ◽  
Number Of Injections

Purpose. To evaluate 7-year visual and anatomical outcomes of intravitreal injections (IVI) with antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) based on a personalized pro re nata (PRN) regimen. Methods. Anonymized data of 124 consecutive eyes in 121 patients with treatment-naïve nAMD were initially collected in 2010. Of those, 45 received anti-VEGF IVI at least every 6months until 2017 in one single center in Austria and hence were retrospectively analyzed. All eyes had been initiated on a loading dose of 3 monthly IVI with different anti-VEGF agents followed by a PRN regimen in the first year. At year 2, monitoring as well as therapeutic intervention could be prolonged every 2weeks up to intervals of 3months without capping treatment. Primary outcome measure was the change of visual acuity (VA) assessed by Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study charts at 4 meters (ETDRS) in letters—counting every correctly read letter—and converted to Snellen. Secondary outcome measures were number of injections and change of central retinal thickness (CMT) from baseline. Results. Mean baseline VA was 20/63 + 1 (0.63 ± 0.26 ETDRS) and declined to 20/100 + 2 (0.45 ± 0.33) with an overall loss of 9 letters ETDRS after 7years (p = 0.001). An average of 3.5 ± 1.9 IVI was given per year and eye. Mean CMT at baseline was 322 ± 95 μm, decreased by 52 μm to 270 ± 70 μm within the first year, and remained below baseline at year 7 (271 ± 106 μm; p<0.001). Conclusions. Our data confirm an absolute vision loss in eyes compromised by nAMD after 7 years of continuous VEGF inhibition. The visual decline was significantly related to baseline VA as well as the number of injections. We suggest following patients thoroughly independent of the initial VA and a greater incentive for the physician to treat.

scholarly journals Fixed Regimen Treatment in Unselected Naïve Patients Cohort with Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Ricardo P. Casaroli-Marano ◽  
Carolina Bernal-Morales ◽  
Lillian Chamorro-López ◽  
Marina Dotti-Boada ◽  
Juan P. Figueroa-Vercellino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Visual Acuity ◽  
Macular Degeneration ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Current Treatment ◽  
Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽  
The Public ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Intravitreal Aflibercept ◽  
One Year

The current treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) generates an excessive care pressure in the public health system. The search for a satisfactory treatment regimen, whose anatomical and functional stability may be achieved, is a challenge and a goal to be reached. We analyzed the outcomes in a patient cohort under fixed regimen treatment with intravitreal aflibercept (IVA). A retrospective study, with at least 1-year follow-up, in consecutive treated unselected naïve patients was carried out. Standard protocol was performed and evaluated at baseline, month 4 (after loading dose, LD), and month 12 (after fixed bimonthly regimen). One hundred six patients (123 eyes) aged 80.3 ± 7.7 years were included, receiving 6.8 ± 0.7 IVA. Visual acuity gain after LD was 5.5 ± 12.0 letters ( p < 0.0001 ). At month 12, 23 eyes (18.7%) gained ≥15 letters and 58 (47.1%) had best-corrected visual acuity ≥20/40 (70 letters). The improvement in visual acuity was lower in patients with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (+4.9 ± 18.1 letters; p = 0.2544) and somewhat higher in patients with retinal angiomatous proliferation (+5.4 ± 12.3 letters; p = 0.0373 ). Dry macula was present in only 9.8% of cohort at baseline vs. 69.7% at month 12 ( p < 0.0001 ). Atrophy was the most observed complication and related to the elderly patients. The average of follow-up visits was 3 ± 0.5. Functional and anatomical improvement were observed with IVA in a fixed bimonthly regimen treatment after LD, with results maintained up to one year with a good compliance. The fixed bimonthly regimen optimized patient management and logistic issues.

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