Expert Consensus Optimization of the anti-VEGF treatment regimens with aflibercept in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration and visual impairment as a result of diabetic macular edema

2019 ◽  
Vol 82 (5) ◽  
pp. 64-67
Author(s):  
◽  
PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. e0254569
Author(s):  
Igor Kozak ◽  
Avinash Gurbaxani ◽  
Ammar Safar ◽  
Prasan Rao ◽  
Amal Masalmeh ◽  
...  

Objectives To characterize the pattern of approved anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatments among patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Method This was a retrospective, nonrandomized, observational cohort analysis of the Dubai Real-world Claims Database with a 360-day follow-up period. Adult patients diagnosed with nAMD or DME treated with ranibizumab or aflibercept for the first time were included. The primary objective was to evaluate anti-VEGF treatment patterns with respect to the proportion of patients receiving ranibizumab and aflibercept for nAMD and DME separately. Results Of the 451 patients included in the final study cohort, 83.6% and 16.4% had a diagnosis of DME (ranibizumab: 48.5%; aflibercept: 51.5%) and nAMD (ranibizumab: 40.5%; aflibercept: 59.5%), respectively, at baseline. Treatment frequency of ranibizumab/aflibercept was similar for nAMD (mean: 2.4/2.9 injections; p = 0.2389) with fewer injections in the ranibizumab cohort for DME (mean: 1.9/2.5 injections; p = 0.0002). Most patients received ≤3 anti-VEGF injections during the 360-day follow-up period. The time between consecutive treatments was large (nAMD: 73.6 days/10.5 weeks; DME: 80.5 days/11.5 weeks). Approximately 10%–13.5% of patients switched their anti-VEGF therapy. Most patients (83.8%) had a diabetes diagnosis during the follow-up period. Conclusions This real-world study provides an initial understanding of anti-VEGF treatment patterns in patients with nAMD and DME in the UAE. Treatment frequency of the 2 anti-VEGF agents assessed was similar in both patient populations. Both treatments were infrequently administered with large dosing intervals.


2021 ◽  
pp. 48-56
Author(s):  
Atsuta Ozaki ◽  
Hisashi Matsubara ◽  
Masahiko Sugimoto ◽  
Manami Kuze ◽  
Mineo Kondo ◽  
...  

Intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) is essential for the treatment of macular diseases such as wet age-related macular degeneration and macular edema. Although continued treatment is needed to maintain good vision, some patients cannot continue such injections for various reasons, including specific phobias. Here, we report a case of a patient with a specific phobia of intravitreal injections who could resume treatment after undergoing combined drug and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). A 74-year-old Japanese man diagnosed with retinal angiomatous proliferation by fluorescein angiography and indocyanine green angiography was treated with intravitreal anti-VEGF injection. However, at 8 months after the first treatment, he became difficult to treat because of a phobia of injections. He was treated with photodynamic therapy, but his macular edema did not improve. After a psychiatric consultation, he was diagnosed with a specific phobia of intravitreal injections. Combined drug and CBT enabled him to resume receiving intravitreal injections. This case demonstrates that a specific phobia of intravitreal injections may benefit from combined drug and CBT. In this regard, some patients with high anxiety and fear of intravitreal injections should be referred to a psychiatrist at an early stage.


2021 ◽  
Vol 62 (11) ◽  
pp. 1490-1501
Author(s):  
Bum Jun Kim ◽  
Woo Hyuk Lee ◽  
Ki Yup Nam ◽  
Ji Hye Kim ◽  
Tae Seen Kang ◽  
...  

Purpose: To evaluate the repeatability of retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and Bruch’s membrane opening-minimum rim width (BMO-MRW) measurements by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD) and diabetic macular edema (DME).Methods: This was a prospective study. The RNFL thickness and BMO-MRW parameters for each sector and global average were measured twice by SD-OCT. Repeatability was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and coefficient of variation (CV). If the optic disc membrane was confirmed, it was analyzed by dividing it into three groups based on severity.Results: A total of 99 eyes (48 with wAMD, 51 with DME) were included in the analysis. The ICCs of the global RNFL thickness and global BMO-MRW measurements were 0.996 and 0.997, respectively, in wAMD and 0.994 and 0.996, respectively, in DME eyes. The CV values of global RNFL thickness and BMO-MRW were 0.60% and 0.73%, respectively, in wAMD eyes and 1.10% and 1.21%, respectively, in DME eyes. The disc membrane on the optic nerve head significantly affected global BMO-MRW repeatability (B = 0.814, p < 0.001).Conclusions: Both RNFL thickness and BMO-MRW measurements showed good repeatability in eyes with wAMD and DME. The severity of the optic disc membrane significantly affected the repeatability of BMO-MRW measurements in eyes with wAMD and DME. Therefore, physicians should examine the BMO-MRW in eyes with severe optic disc membrane.


2010 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. CMT.S2393
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Querques

Pegaptanib sodium is a polyethylene-glycolated, 28-nucleotide RNA aptamer that binds selectively to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)165 but not smaller isoforms. Preclinical studies identified VEGF165 as an especially potent promoter of ocular neovascularization and inflammation. Following the pivotal clinical trials demonstrating the efficacy of intravitreal pegaptanib in treating all angiographic subtypes of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (NV-AMD), pegaptanib became the first anti-VEGF therapy to receive regulatory approval for this condition. In view of the importance of VEGF in a variety of tissues, including the cardiovascular system and the retina, concerns have been raised as to the risks that might accompany VEGF inhibition. It is thus of particular note that pegaptanib has proved to have a favorable safety record in treating NV-AMD, with no ocular or systemic safety signals having emerged over more than 4 years of clinical studies. Accordingly, in addition to its use as a single agent, pegaptanib has demonstrated promise in combinatorial regimens that employ nonselective anti-VEGF agents as an initial treatment followed by maintenance therapy with pegaptanib. Pegaptanib has also shown encouraging preliminary results in the treatment of diabetic macular edema, proliferative diabetic retinopathy, and macular edema secondary to retinal venous occlusive conditions.


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