scholarly journals To the Question of Terminology, Expert Criteria for Evaluating the Effectiveness of Antiangiogenic Therapy and the Prevalence of Refractory Forms of Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 389-398
Author(s):  
V. G. Likhvantseva ◽  
V. N. Trubilin ◽  
S. G. Kapkova ◽  
A. S. Gevorgyan

The authors presented a review of studies aimed at assessing the effectiveness of antiangiogenic therapy in patients with neovascular form of age-related macular degeneration. The purpose of this review was to clarify the prevalence of true refractory forms of WMD on literary data. The vast majority of experts consider the marker of “refractory” the exit of the dye from the vessels on fluorescent angiography (FAG), fibrovascular detachment of pigment epithelium with intraretinal and/or subretinal fluid on optical coherent tomography, an increase in hemorrhage on the eye compared to the initial level of post-loading phase therapy. The analysis showed a wide corridor of indicators, due to different approaches and timing of the assessment of the respondent’s status, as well as expert criteria for the effectiveness of antiangiogenic therapy. In addition, the authors drew attention to the different understanding of the terms tahiphylaxis and tolerance, presented by the researchers. Many papers are replacing these perceptions. The our work presents the fundamental differences of these biological phenomena in the clinic and morphometric data, as well as the timing of development. Meanwhile, overcoming resistance involves an accurate diagnosis of the pharmacological cause and a subsequent differentiated approach to solving the problem. An overview of the work on overcoming refractory to antiangiogenic drugs in various ways is presented.

2021 ◽  
pp. 116-123
Author(s):  
Leonie F. Keidel ◽  
Benedikt Schworm ◽  
Siegfried G. Priglinger ◽  
Jakob Siedlecki

Nonresponse of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy can often be attributed to misdiagnosis, and pathologies mimicking AMD might require different therapeutic concepts. In the following, we want to outline a case of presumed nAMD which revealed to be pachychoroid neovasculopathy (PNV) and was successfully treated by the addition of spironolactone. A 67-year-old female patient was referred for nonresponse of nAMD on her left eye after 29 intravitreal injections of aflibercept with no complete resolution of subretinal fluid. On fundoscopy, both maculae presented with pigment epithelium alterations, while the left eye showed subretinal fluid on optical coherence tomography (OCT) with an associated pigment epithelium detachment, which revealed to contain a neovascular network on OCT angiography. There was faint leakage on fluorescence (FAG) and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) and some focal vascular dilation of the neovascular network on ICGA. Due to the absence of Drusen on any eye, a thick choroid, and the presence of a gravitational tract on blue autofluorescence (BAF), chronic central serous chorioretinopathy with a choroidal neovascularization, defined as PNV in the pachychoroid disease was diagnosed. Upon the addition of spironolactone to anti-VEGF treatment, choroidal thickness significantly decreased, and subretinal fluid resolution was observed and maintained for the first time. In conclusion, PNV should be ruled out in cases of presumed nAMD nonresponding to anti-VEGF. In these cases, a combination therapy of anti-VEGF and mineralocorticoid antagonists can facilitate fluid resorption.


2021 ◽  
Vol 76 (4) ◽  
pp. 384-393
Author(s):  
Vladimir V. Neroev ◽  
Marina V. Zueva ◽  
Natalia V. Neroeva ◽  
Ludmila A. Katargina ◽  
Oksana A. Losanova ◽  
...  

Background.Studies demonstrate the need for long-term follow-up of patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) treated with inhibitors of angiogenesis to monitor long-term vision outcomes and assess the safety of antiangiogenic therapy in relation to the risk of secondary geographic atrophy. Aims to determine the characteristic clinical and functional signs of secondary GA that developed against the background of wet AMD. Methods.In 22 patients (25 eyes) with wet AMD and 18 healthy subjects comparable in age and sex standard ophthalmological and instrumental studies were performed and photopic electroretinograms (ERGs) were recorded according to ISCEV standards, flicker-ERGs, multifocal ERGs and electrooculogram. Results.The appearance of the area of secondary atrophy against the background of wet AMD in eyes treated with inhibitors of angiogenesis is clinically indistinguishable from areas of geographic atrophy that developed as an outcome of dry AMD. The ERG-signs of secondary atrophy are described, which are similar to the biomarkers of primary atrophy and specifically differ from them. Secondary atrophy is characterized by the dependence of the increase in the b/a ratio on the atrophic area, reducing of the 8.3 Hz-flicker-ERG amplitude in the absence of 24 Hz-flicker ERG changes. In eyes with secondary atrophy, a significant decrease in the density of the multifocal ERG P1-peak was shown not only in the first hexagon but also in the parafoveal zone. The electrooculography results showed a sharper dark troughs decrease in with an increase in Ardens ratio in patients with secondary atrophya on the background of wet AMD, in contrast to the previously described changes in primary geographic atrophy. Conclusion.Comparison of the change in the b/a ratio with secondary atrophy area in patients with wet AMD may have clinical implications for assessing retinal dysfunction and predicting visual function. Secondary atrophy is associated with a pronounced inhibition of photoreceptor activity with better preservation of cone bipolar cells. The ERG and electrooculography data taking together indicate a more significant dysfunction of the retinal pigment epithelium in GA against the background of wet AMD and the associated deterioration of photoreceptor function than the changes characterizing primary geographic atrophy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 97-104
Author(s):  
Sergei V. Sosnovskii ◽  
Ernest V. Boiko ◽  
Dzhambulat Kh. Oskanov

The gold standard of the neovascular age-related macular degeneration treatment is the intravitreal administration of angiogenesis inhibitors. In subretinal macular fibrosis, antiangiogenic therapy is not effective. In such cases, subretinal surgery is used, in particular, autotranslocation of pigment epithelium-choroid complex. This paper presents a case of successful use of this method in a 77 y.o. female patient with subretinal fibrosis in the macular area as an outcome of neovascular age-related macular degeneration. An original method of translocation of pedicled pigment epithelium-choroid complex from the paramacular area to the macula was used. In 24 months, the visual acuity increased from 0.01 to 0.07; the central fixation was restored; the absolute positive central scotoma disappeared. During all the post-operative follow-up period, the full-rate pigment epithelium-choroid perfusion in the choroid of the translocated flap, the loss of choroidal neovascularization activity signs and of indications for intravitreal administration of angiogenesis inhibitors were proved.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Ho Kim ◽  
Yoo-Ri Chung ◽  
Ji Hun Song

Abstract Background Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is known to occlude choroidal neovascularisation selectively, and there have been several reports on its adverse effects on the normal choroid and retinal pigment epithelium, resulting in decreased vision. Methods This retrospective interventional case series aimed to investigate the changes in visual acuity and retinal thickness in the immediate post-treatment period after half-fluence PDT, administered alone or with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor and steroids, in 29 eyes (26 patients) with neovascular age-related macular degeneration. The patients’ best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central foveal thickness (CFT) on optical coherence tomography images were measured 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month post-treatment. Results Compared to the pre-treatment CFT (270.38 μm), the mean CFT was significantly increased 1 day post-treatment (387.07 μm, P = 0.001), which then started to decrease, with a mean CFT of 269.32 μm (P = 0.516) at 1 week, and of 240.66 μm (P = 0.066) at 1 month post-treatment. All CFT increases were due to the accumulation of subretinal fluid (SRF), rather than the intraretinal or subretinal pigment epithelium fluid. Relative to the pre-treatment BCVA (0.59 logMAR), the mean BCVA at 1 day (0.74 logMAR, P = 0.005) and 1 week (0.75 logMAR, P = 0.002) post-treatment was significantly deteriorated; however, it recovered to 0.62 logMAR at 1 month. The patterns of change in CFT and BCVA did not differ according to treatment modality. Conclusions Half-fluence PDT resulted in accumulation of SRF in the immediate post-treatment period; this damage mostly recovered within a week, and the BCVA was restored within a month.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-16
Author(s):  
Cristian Metrangolo ◽  
Simone Donati ◽  
Marco Mazzola ◽  
Liviana Fontanel ◽  
Walter Messina ◽  
...  

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of legal blindness in elderly people. Neovascular AMD (nAMD) is responsible for the majority of cases of severe visual loss in eyes with AMD. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is the most widely used technology for the diagnosis and follow-up of nAMD patients, which is widely used to study and guide the clinical approach, as well as to predict and evaluate treatment response. The aim of this review is to describe and analyze various structural OCT-based biomarkers, which have practical value during both initial assessment and treatment follow-up of nAMD patients. While central retinal thickness has been the most common and one of the first OCT identified biomarkers, today, other qualitative and quantitative biomarkers provide novel insight into disease activity and offer superior prognostic value and better guidance for tailored therapeutic management. The key importance of retinal fluid compartmentalization (intraretinal fluid, subretinal fluid, and subretinal pigment epithelium (RPE) fluid) will be discussed firstly. In the second part, the structural alterations of different retinal layers in various stages of the disease (photoreceptors layer integrity, hyperreflective dots, outer retinal tubulations, subretinal hyperreflective material, and retinal pigment epithelial tears) will be analyzed in detail. The last part of the review will focus on how alterations of the vitreoretinal interface (vitreomacular adhesion and traction) and of the choroid (sub-RPE hyperreflective columns, prechoroidal clefts, choroidal caverns, choroidal thickness and choroidal volume, and choroidal vascular index) interact with nAMD progression. OCT technology is evolving very quickly, and new retinal biomarkers are continuously described. This up-to-date review article provides a comprehensive description on how structural OCT-based biomarkers provide a valuable tool to monitor the progression of the disease and the treatment response in nAMD patients. Thus, in this perspective, clinicians will be able to allocate hospital resources in the best possible way and tailor treatment to the individual patient’s needs.


Author(s):  
E.V. Kozina ◽  
◽  
S.N. Sakhnov ◽  
V.V. Myasnikova ◽  
E.V. Bykova ◽  
...  

Purpose. Analysis A-VEGF therapy for wet form age-related macular degeneration (AMD) complicated by retinal pigment epithelium tear (RPET), different in involvement of macular zone (MZ), with different time of RPET regarding A-VEGF therapy. Material and methods. The results of treatment 18 patients with wet AMD complicated by RPET during monthly A-VEGF injection were analyzed. In first group (10 eyes) – RPET occurred before treatment, the second (8 eyes) – RPET arisen during A-VEGF. Visometry, ophthalmoscopy, fundus photoregistration, MZ OCT before and in month after each injection. Age – 65–83 years. Results. RPET (1,5 DD) captured fovea in 7 first group patients, in 3 patients RPET (0,5 DD) didn't affect fovea, In macula registered subretinal fluid (SRF) and hemorrhage (SRH). After 2 A-VEGF injections, resorption of SRF and SRH was observed. VA increased from 0,2 to 0,7 in cases RPET without capture of the fovea. RPET involving fovea occurred in 8 patients of the second group after the first A-VEGF injection. SRH and SRF resorbed. VA of patients decreased from 0,7 to 0,15. In both groups relapses of the SRF in macula after the development of RPET were not observed. Conclusion. Wet AMD complicated by RPET as a result of the pathological process and on the background of A-VEGF therapy. When RPET is involved fovea, VA decreases to 0.15. In case of preservation RPE in fovea – VA is high. A-VEGF therapy for wet AMD with RPET leads to resorption of SRH and SRF, to stop SRF for a long time. Key words: wet form macular degeneration, Anti-VEGF therapy, retinal pigment epithelium tear, macular zone


2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdullah Ozkaya ◽  
Zeynep Alkin ◽  
Hande Mefkure Ozkaya ◽  
Alper Agca ◽  
Engin Bilge Ozgurhan ◽  
...  

Purpose. To evaluate the ability of spectral-domain optical coherence tomography to detect subtle amounts of retinal fluid when the choroidal neovascularization is detected as inactive via time-domain optical coherence tomography and clinical examination in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) patients.Methods. Forty-nine eyes of 49 patients with nAMD after ranibizumab treatment were included in this cross-sectional, prospective study. All patients were imaged with TD-OCT and SD-OCT at the same visit one month after a ranibizumab injection. The presence of subretinal, intraretinal, and subretinal pigment epithelium fluid (subRPE) in SD-OCT was evaluated; also mean central retinal thickness (CRT) and the rate of vitreoretinal surface disorders detected via the two devices were evaluated.Results. The mean CRT via TD-OCT and SD-OCT was218.1±51.3and325.7±78.8microns. Sixteen patients (32.6%) showed any kind of retinal fluid via SD-OCT. In detail, 8 patients (16.3%) showed subretinal fluid, 10 patients (20.4%) showed intraretinal fluid, and 3 patients (6.1%) showed SubRPE fluid. The ability of detecting vitreoretinal surface disorders was comparable between the two devices, except vitreomacular traction.Conclusion. SD-OCT is essential for the nAMD patients who are on an as-needed treatment regimen with ranibizumab. Only TD-OCT and clinical examination may cause insufficient treatment in this group of patients.


2021 ◽  
pp. 112067212110362
Author(s):  
Anindya Samanta ◽  
Mahima Jhingan ◽  
Supriya Arora ◽  
Sumit Singh ◽  
Davide Tucci ◽  
...  

Background/objectives: To evaluate the presence and evolution of fluid in non-exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) through serial OCT. Subjects/methods: A retrospective analysis of eyes with non-exudative AMD with a minimum of 4 year follow-up was done. Parameters including intraretinal fluid (IRF), subretinal fluid (SRF), and sub-retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) fluid (SRPEF); subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) and type of drusen were evaluated using optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans at baseline and follow up visits. Results: Seventy-two eyes (in 63 patients) were followed up for an average of 5.83 ± 2.17 years. A total of 26/72 (36%) and 29/65 (52%) of the non-exudative eyes had fluid during baseline and the last visit. Seven eyes (10%) out of 72 eyes converted into exudative AMD or neo-vascular AMD (nAMD) during the study period. SRPEF at baseline was most common fluid location for non-exudative eyes that eventually converted to nAMD. Conclusion: Non-exudative fluid including IRF, SRF, and SRPEF is seen in patients with non-exudative AMD with increasing incidence during long term follow-up.


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