scholarly journals Impact on Visual Acuity in Neovascular Age Related Macular Degeneration (nAMD) in Europe Due to COVID-19 Pandemic Lockdown

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (15) ◽  
pp. 3281
Author(s):  
Carolina Arruabarrena ◽  
Mario Damiano Toro ◽  
Mehmet Onen ◽  
Boris E Malyugin ◽  
Robert Rejdak ◽  
...  

This is a retrospective, multicenter study of consecutive patients with nAMD scheduled for a visit and/or a treatment with an intravitreal injection (IVI) during the 3 months before lockdown in the Ophthalmology Departments of six centers of Europe.The study was conducted on 546 patients, of which 55.13% were females, almost 100% of the patients were White/Caucasian race, and 71.53% of the patients presented a type 1 macular neovascularization (NVM). A total of 62.82% of patients (343 patients) that were on scheduled clinic visits and/or intravitreal injection treatment during the 3 months before the quarantine did not attend either to visit or for treatment during the lockdown. The mean number of injections during the lockdown was significantly reduced. This was followed by a significant reduction in the mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) between the 3 months before the lockdown (mean BCVA of 60.68 ± 19.77 letters) and 6 months after lockdown (mean BCVA of 56.98 ± 22.59 letters). Patients with better BCVA before the lockdown and the ones showing neovascular activity were more likely to attend their scheduled visits and/or IVI treatments. The COVID-19 pandemic and the lockdown have led to a decrease in the number of IVI treatments in patients with nAMD, evidencing a significant vision loss at 6 months.

Author(s):  
Ahmad Mirshahi ◽  
Alireza Lashay ◽  
Hamid Riazi-Esfahani ◽  
Nazanin Ebrahimiadib ◽  
Hassan Khojasteh ◽  
...  

Purpose: To report the results of intravitreal injection of a bevacizumab biosimilar called Stivant®. Methods: This prospective interventional case series was conducted on eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), retinal vein occlusion (RVO), and diabetic macular edema (DME). Stivant® was injected in three consecutive months and changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT) were measured at baseline and monthly up to one month after the third injection. Results: Three hundred and eighty-five eyes with DME (234 eyes, 61%), nAMD (87 eyes, 22%), and macular edema secondary to RVO (64 eyes, 17%) were enrolled. The mean ± standard deviation age of the patients was 61.7 ± 7.20 years. The mean BCVA and CMT changed from 0.63 ± 0.3 to 0.51 ± 0.3 LogMAR (P = 0.12 ) and from 420.4 ± 47.3μm at baseline to 316.7 ± 50.6 μm (P < 0.001) in the DME group; from 0.79 ± 0.3 to 0.68 ± 0.3 LogMAR (P = 0.19) and from 376.1 ± 31.7 μm to 303 ± 31.3 μm (P = 0.019) in the nAMD group; and from 0.81 ± 0.4 to 0.63 ± 0.4 LogMAR (P = 0.05) and from 424.21 ± 18 μm to 303.4 ± 18.8 μm (P < 0.001) in the RVO group, respectively. Conclusion: Our limited experience showed that the intravitreal injection of Stivant® was well tolerated. Although the results of this case series showed relative improvement in CMT one month after the last injection of Stivant®, BCVA improvement was statistically significant only in the RVO group. This would be essential to design a randomized clinical trial to evaluate the non-inferiority of Stivant® in comparison to bevacizumab.


Author(s):  
Katarzyna Michalska-Małecka ◽  
Dorota Śpiewak ◽  
Dorota Luksa

The purpose of the study was to evaluate changes in best corrected visual acuity, central retinal thickness, area and flow in the neovascular membrane and to compare therapeutic outcomes from baseline in patients who received three doses of Beovu (brolucizumab) at three-month follow-up. Material and methods: A prospective observational study conducted at the Prof. K. Gibiński University Clinical Center of the Medical University of Silesia in Katowice. Eight patients with exudative form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) were observed. Results: The mean best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) outcome increased with each subsequent visit. The mean central retinal thickness (CRT) result also improved (decreased) with each subsequent visit, except for the last measurement. A statistically significant change in neovascular membrane area was observed after the first injection. In further treatment, the membrane area underwent changes that were not statistically significant. A statistically significant change in neovascular membrane flow was demonstrated after the first and second injections. Discussion: Our study confirmed the efficacy of brolucizumab in the treatment of patients with exudative AMD in terms of improvements in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central retinal thickness (CRT), neovascular membrane area, and neovascular membrane flow area.


2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (3.2) ◽  
pp. 413-416
Author(s):  
Vilma Jūratė Balčiūnienė ◽  
Rosita Lažaunykaitė

Key words: ranibizumab, age-related macular degeneration, central macular thickness. Research objective. To evaluate influence of treatment with vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor, ranibizumab, for best corrected visual acuity and central macular thickness in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Materials and methods. In this retrospective study were included treatment – naive patients. Intravitreal injections were performed at Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kaunas Clinics Eye clinic. In this study were analysed the 24-month morphological and functional outcomes of intravitreal ranibizumab injections. Best corrected visual acuity was meassured using the Snellen chart (Landolt’s rings C optotypes). Optical coherence tomography images were obtained using the spectral – domain OCT (NIDEK RS – 3000 Advance (NIDEK CO LTD, Japan). The central thickness measurements were obtained from macular thickness maps using the digital caliper tool. Results. In this study were included 88 patients. Best corrected visual acuity before treatment was 0.36 ± 0.22. The difference between visual acuity before and after first injection was 0.04 ± 0.22 (p = 0.03). Before fifth injection visual acuity was 0.41 ± 0.21, after – 0.46 ± 0.22 (p = 0.05). Central macular thickness before treatment was 297.81 ± 106.04 μm. The difference between central macular thickness before and after first injection was 85.21 ± 113.37 μm (p &lt; 0.001). Before second injection central macular thickness was 273.57 ± 87.49 μm, after – 234.51 ± 58.96 μm (p = 0.002). Before fourth injection central macular thickness was 237.20 ± 40.87 μm, after – 219.10 ± 42.26 μm (p = 0.04). The mean central macular thickness significantly decreased from 298.15 ± 104.78 to 229.08 ± 56.57 (p &lt; 0.001). In 24 month of treatment the average number of ranibizumab injections was 3.61 ± 1.55. Conclusions. Our study’s results showed that over 24 month best corrected visual acuity improvement was statistically significant after first and fifth injection. Baseline compared with last injection, there was not statistically significant difference. Central macular thickness improvement statistically significant was after first, second and fourth injection. There was statistically significant decreased baseline compared with the last injection. The mean number of ranibizumab injections was 3.61 ± 1.55 in 24 month.


2017 ◽  
Vol 74 (9) ◽  
pp. 849-853
Author(s):  
Dragana Ristic ◽  
Miroslav Vukosavljevic ◽  
Marko Kontic ◽  
Petar Ristic ◽  
Dubravko Bokonjic ◽  
...  

Background/Aim. The integrity of outer retinal structures, primarily the photoreceptor layer, is important because of its direct correlation with visual acuity. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), the foveal photoreceptorinner segment/outer segment (IS/OS) junction and external limiting membrane (ELM) in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (NVAMD) after the treatment with bevacizumab, as well as the correlation between the above-mentioned parameters and different types of neovascular membrane, classified by fluorescein angiography (FA). Methods. The study included 82 patients with NVAMD, treated with intravitreal bevacizumab. All patients underwent a basic ophthalmological examination, FA and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Based on the results of FA, all the patients were divided into two main groups ? type I (the occult and minimally classic) and type II (classic and predominantly classic) of the choroidal neovascular membrane (CNV). The OCT images revealed either the presence or the absence of IS/OS and ELM. Results. After the treatment, the mean best corrected visual acuity improved significantly in both groups (p < 0.01). Preserved IS/OS and ELM were registered in a smaller number of patients as compared to the condition before the treatment (p < 0.01). After the treatment, the mean BCVA was significantly better in patients with preserved IS/OS and ELM (p < 0.01). In addition, we registered a higher number of patients with preserved ELM in the first group than in the second group (p < 0.01), whereas there was no significant difference in the integrity of IS/OS between the groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion. The patients with preserved IS/OS and ELM achieved better final visual acuity as compared to the patients without preserved IS/OS and ELM. In our patients, the absence of IS/OS and ELM were more frequent in type II (classic and predominantly classic) CNV than in type I (the occult and minimally classic) CNV.


2021 ◽  
Vol 62 (7) ◽  
pp. 939-947
Author(s):  
Young-Je Choi ◽  
Woong-Sun Yoo ◽  
Yong-Wun Cho ◽  
Yu-Jin Choi ◽  
In Young Chung

Purpose: This study investigated the 1-year outcomes of a treat-and-extend regimen of ranibizumab for exudative age-related macular degeneration and examined the clinical results when drug treatment was changed within the same period. Methods: This retrospective analysis included 32 eyes first diagnosed with wet age-related macular degeneration and treated for more than 1 year with a treat-and-extend regimen of ranibizumab, as well as 24 eyes treated by changing from ranibizumab to aflibercept within the same period. The injection number, maximum injection interval, change in central retinal thickness, and best-corrected visual acuity were assessed in all eyes. Results: In 32 eyes that received a treat-and-extend regimen of ranibizumab, the mean best-corrected visual acuity improved from 59.46 ± 15.13 to 68.00 ± 12.48 at 12 months (p < 0.0001). The mean central retinal thickness decreased from 409 ± 141 μm to 273 ± 89 μm at 12 months (p < 0.0001). The average number of injections per year was 7.2 ± 0.85. One complication related to the 12 months of injections was a tear in the retinal pigment epithelium; no systemic complications were observed. Of 24 eyes that underwent a change in medication, the rate of maintenance or improvement in initial visual acuity was 83% (10 eyes). The central retinal thickness was initially 371.58 ± 109.96 μm, but improved to 290.33 ± 58.66 μm in 12 eyes that received three injections of aflibercept. Conclusions: At 1 year, good outcomes were obtained using treat-and-extend ranibizumab for exudative age-related macular degeneration. When the treatment was changed to aflibercept within the same period, vision was often maintained and short-term anatomical improvement was evident.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Yingyi Lu ◽  
Jianfeng Huang ◽  
Jing Zhao ◽  
Xiaobing Yu ◽  
Li Long ◽  
...  

Purpose. To observe the effect of intravitreal ranibizumab injection on wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD) over 5 years in Chinese patients. Methods. Thirty-seven patients who were diagnosed with wAMD in our hospital from June 2007 to June 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. The PRN regimen and the treatment and extend regimen were applied. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), number of ranibizumab injections, and changes in the choroidal neovascularization (CNV) lesion over 5 years were analyzed. Results. The mean BCVA measured by the ETDRS chart at baseline was 47.4 and 5 years after the treatment it was 34.89 letters, which was significantly different (p=0.013). Fourteen eyes (37.8%) had improved visual acuity after 5 years. The number of injections in 5 years was 11.53, and most of the injections were in the first two years. Seventeen (45.9%) cases developed fibrous lesions, and 2 (5.4%) cases had atrophic lesions after 5 years. The fibrosis/atrophy was significantly correlated with the injection numbers (Pearson, r=0.663, and p=0.000). Conclusion. Most of the patients can maintain visual acuity treated by ranibizumab in the first 3 years. After 5 years, some patients can still improve or maintain visual acuity. Fibrous scarring of the lesion is the main reason for a decrease in vision of wAMD patients.


QJM ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 113 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M S Abdaltawab ◽  
Z F Ismail ◽  
W M A Ebeid ◽  
S M Fawzy

Abstract Aim of the Work The aim of this work is to compare the response of treatment with ranibizumab in terms of visual acuity in cases of CNV secondary to pathological myopia versus CNV secondary to age-related macular degeneration. Methods This prospective, comparative study included ten eyes newly diagnosed as having CNV secondary to pathological myopia, and 10 eyes newly diagnosed as having subfoveal active CNV secondary to AMD. All patients had 3 monthly intravitreal Injections of 0.50 mg (in 0.05 ml of solution) ranibizumab with monthly evaluation of best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) by Landolt C chart, and also calculated in Logarithm of Minimum Angle of Resolution (Log MAR). Results pretreatment there was no significant difference between the two groups as the mean VA (Log Mar) was 1.31 ± 0.2 in AMD group and 1.17 ± 0.3 in MCNV group of P value = 0.431 and also post three IVI of ranibizumab showed no significant difference between the two groups as the mean VA (Log Mar) was 1.22 ± 0.2 for AMD and 1.22 ± 0.5 for MCNV of P value = 0.635. Conclusion there was no significant difference in BCVA between AMD and MCNV groups after three intravitreal injections of ranibizumab.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 1024
Author(s):  
Timothy Y. Y. Lai ◽  
Ricky Y. K. Lai

Previous studies based on clinical trial data have demonstrated that greater fluctuations in retinal thickness during the course of intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) is associated with poorer visual acuity outcomes. However, it was unclear whether similar findings would be observed in real-world clinical settings. This study aimed to evaluate the association between retinal thickness variability and visual outcomes in eyes receiving anti-VEGF therapy for nAMD using pro re nata treatment regimen. A total of 64 eyes which received intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy (bevacizumab, ranibizumab or aflibercept) for the treatment of nAMD were evaluated. Variability in spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) central subfield thickness (CST) was calculated from the standard deviation (SD) values of all follow-up visits after three loading doses from month 3 to month 24. Eyes were divided into quartiles based on the OCT CST variability values and the mean best-corrected visual acuity values at 2 years were compared. At baseline, the mean ± SD logMAR visual acuity and CST were 0.59 ± 0.39 and 364 ± 113 µm, respectively. A significant correlation was found between CST variability and visual acuity at 2 years (Spearman’s ρ = 0.54, p < 0.0001), indicating that eyes with lower CST variability had better visual acuity at 2 years. Eyes with the least CST variability were associated with the highest mean visual acuity improvement at 2 years (quartile 1: +9.7 letters, quartile 2: +1.1 letters, quartile 3: −2.5 letters, quartile 4: −9.5 letters; p = 0.018). No significant difference in the number of anti-VEGF injections was found between the four CST variability quartile groups (p = 0.21). These findings showed that eyes undergoing anti-VEGF therapy for nAMD with more stable OCT CST variability during the follow-up period were associated with better visual outcomes. Clinicians should consider adopting treatment strategies to reduce CST variability during the treatment course for nAMD.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 416-422
Author(s):  
Yong Cheng ◽  
◽  
Ming-Wei Zhao ◽  
Tong Qian ◽  
◽  
...  

AIM: To evaluate the two-year outcomes of patients treated for diabetic macular edema (DME) with intravitreal Conbercept (IVC). METHODS: The clinical data of 30 DME patients (36 eyes) were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were treated with IVC for 3mo. Additional IVC was given at subsequent monthly visits, if needed (3+PRN). The patients were followed up for 24mo. RESULTS: The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 24mo significantly increased (66.7±15.3 letters) in comparison with the baseline (54.4±15.4 letters, P<0.0001). The mean improvement in BCVA was 11.0±2.9 letters. At 24mo, 44.1% of the eyes surveyed gained ≥15 letters, 52.9% of the eyes gained ≥10 letters, and 70.6% of the eyes gained ≥5 letters. No vision loss was noted in 96.8% of the eyes, and 5.9% of the eyes lost ≥5 letters, but ≤10 letters. The central retinal thickness (CRT) at 24mo was significantly reduced (277.1±122.9 μm) in comparison with the baseline (510.9±186.1 μm, P<0.0001). At 24mo, 43.3% of the patients had a CRT ≤250 μm. The mean number of injections over 24mo was 10.6±2.0. No severe eye or systemic adverse events related to either the drug or injection were noted. CONCLUSION: IVC is safe and effective for the treatment of DME.


2015 ◽  
Vol 234 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wataru Matsumiya ◽  
Shigeru Honda ◽  
Keiko Otsuka ◽  
Akiko Miki ◽  
Takayuki Nagai ◽  
...  

Purpose: To compare the response to ranibizumab between patients with typical neovascular age-related macular degeneration (tAMD) and those with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV), and to determine the predictors for the outcomes. Methods: Fifty-nine eyes from 59 consecutive patients (tAMD: 27 eyes, PCV: 32 eyes) were treated with three monthly ranibizumab injections followed by as-needed retreatment. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and morphological parameters were evaluated over 24 months of follow-up. Results: The mean BCVA in tAMD and PCV patients was significantly improved at 3 months (-0.22 and -0.09 logMAR units, respectively). The improvement in BCVA was sustained up to 24 months in tAMD (p = 0.01) but not in PCV patients. The significant predictor for good response to ranibizumab in tAMD patients was the improvement of BCVA at 3 months, whereas that in PCV patients was the anatomical resolution at 3 months. Conclusions: Ranibizumab is an effective therapy for tAMD and PCV over 24 months. The predictors for good outcome might be different between tAMD and PCV.


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