Intravitreal Ranibizumab Had Limited Effect on Cystoid Macular Edema Due to Albumin-Bound Paclitaxel: A Case Report and Literature Review

Angiographically silent cystoid macular edema (CME) is a rare complication from nab-paclitaxel. Here we report a 45-year-old woman with breast cancer who developed CME after several months of treatment with albumin-bound paclitaxel (nab-paclitaxel). Her visual acuity did not improve significantly with the cessation of nab-paclitaxel and intravitreal ranibizumab treatment. Then, brinzolamide eye drops were prescribed. One month later, her vision improved, with the macular edema significantly subsided. Finally, we reviewed other cases of CME induced by nab-paclitaxel that have been reported in the literature and discussed the underlying pathogenesis of nab-paclitaxel-induced CME.

Low-Dose Ranıbızumab Admınıstratıon in Retınopathy of Prematurıty

Purpose: To evaluate the efficiency of low dose intravitreal ranibizumab therapy in the treatment of aggressive posterior premature retinopathy (APROP).Methods: A total of 124 eyes of 62 patients who underwent intravitreal ranibizumab with APROP diagnosis between January 2015-January 2021 were evaluated retrospectively. After receiving family-approved informed consent, low-dose intravitreal ranibizumab was administered and regular follow-ups were performed.Results: Patients included in the study had a mean birth week of 26.6 (23-33 weeks), a mean birth weight of 905 (450-1970) grams, an average injection week post-natal 9.1 (4-19) weeks. The mean follow-up period was 63 (24-250) weeks. In all eyes, it was observed that ROP was regressed in the first week control after injection and no asymmetrical response was observed in the eyes of any baby. A 58 eyes recovered with a single dose of intravitreal injection therapy and peripheral retinal vascularization was completed. A second injection was required in 38 eyes. Rescue treatment was applied in addition to intravitreal ranibizumab treatment in 22 eyes of 11 babies. None of the patients had any ocular or systemic side effects.Conclusıon: Low-dose intravitreal ranibizumab injection with close follow-up and appropriate timing is an effective treatment modality in APROP. Even in patients undergoing rescue laser treatment, the treatment can be completed with a wider visual field.

Activation of quiescent polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy after membrane peeling vitrectomy for epiretinal membrane: a case report

Background Regular membrane peeling vitrectomy for epiretinal membrane (ERM) patients seldom causes large pigment epithelial detachment (PED). We presented an unusual case of the activation of quiescent polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) after membrane peeling vitrectomy for ERM, with an uneven therapeutic process. Case presentation A 75-year-old female patient complained of metamorphopsia in her left eye for 2 years. Her best-corrected visual acuity was 20/160 with a moderate nuclear cataract. An irregular ERM and slight PED were shown in optical coherence tomography (OCT). No obvious orange-red lesion was detected. The patient underwent vitrectomy + ERM peeling + cataract surgery. After the operation, large PED emerged, and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) confirmed PCV. Four monthly injections of intravitreal ranibizumab were administered, but PED persisted. After focal laser therapy targeted to the polyps combined with ranibizumab treatment, PED was absorbed. Conclusions Careful evaluation for PCV before membrane peeling vitrectomy for ERM is important, as indolent PCV may be activated postoperatively. Anti-VEGF therapy accompanied by laser photocoagulation may be more effective for PCV polyps located away from the fovea.

Beyond the Visual Acuity: Assessing the Visual Function in mCNV Patients After Anti-VEGF Treatment

Purpose: To investigate visual function and vision-related quality of life (VR-QoL) changes in patients with myopic choroidal neovascularization (mCNV) after ranibizumab treatment.Methods: Quantitatively evaluate the objective tests of visual function (visual acuity, microperimetry, and metamorphopsia by m-Charts) before and after 3+prn (pro re neta) ranibizumab treatment for 1 year. The National Eye Institute 25-Item Visual Function Questionnaire (VFQ-25) was performed to evaluate the VR-QoL.Results: A total of 57 eyes of 57 patients were included in this study. The median average metamorphopsia score was 0.65 before treatment and improved to 0.45 after treatment (p = 0.0003). There was also a significant difference in the average threshold, macular integrity, and proportion of patients with stable fixation by the microperimetry (p < 0.000, p < 0.0001, and p = 0.03, respectively). After treatment, the VR-QoL composite, general vision subscale, and vision-related mental health subscale score were increased with borderline or statistical significance (p = 0.088, p = 0.0038, and p = 0.012, respectively). Subgroup analysis demonstrated parallel improvement of the VR-QoL score, metamorphopsia, average macular threshold, and fixation stability in patients with or without visual acuity increase. By multiple linear regression analysis, the VFQ-25 score after anti-VEGF treatment was only associated with the baseline VFQ-25 score and macular integrity. Improvements in the VFQ-25 score were only associated with changes in the metamorphopsia score.Conclusions: Integral lifting in several aspects of visual function was observed in mCNV after ranibizumab treatment. Macular integrity and metamorphopsia, but not visual acuity, were associated with VR-QoL.

Changes in Macular Microvascular Structure in Macular Edema Secondary to Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion Treated with Antivascular Endothelial Growth Factor for One Year

Purpose. To observe the changes in macular microvascular structure and the correlation between anatomy and visual function in patients with macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) treated with antivascular endothelial growth factor for one year. Methods. This prospective study enrolled 39 patients (one eye per patient) who received intravitreal injections of ranibizumab for macular edema secondary to BRVO. All patients received a minimum of 3 initial monthly ranibizumab injections and criteria-driven pro re nata (PRN) dosing thereafter for visual acuity (VA) and central retinal thickness (CRT) stabilization. The follow-up period of this study was one year. The vascular density (VD) of the superficial retinal capillary plexus (SCP) and deep retinal capillary plexus (DCP), the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area, the FAZ perimeter, the VD within a 300 μm wide ring surrounding the FAZ (FD-300), and the acircularity index (AI) were measured automatically by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) at baseline, month 6, and month 12. Results. Compared with those before treatment, the VD of the SCP significantly decreased 6 months after treatment ( P < 0.05 ), while the area and perimeter of the FAZ increased significantly ( P < 0.01 ). After 12 months of treatment, the area and perimeter of the FAZ increased significantly ( P < 0.01 ). There was no significant difference in any parameters between 12 months and 6 months after treatment ( P > 0.05 ). The change in BCVA was negatively correlated with the VD of the SCP at 12 months ( P = 0.0447 , r = −0.3233). There was a relationship between the DBP and AI, and CRT was related to VD of DCP at baseline ( P = 0.028 , 0.0209 ; r = 0.383, −0.384). The PERIM and AI at 12 months were significantly associated with the recurrence of macular edema, and the changes in vascular density in the SCP and PERIM were significantly associated with the number of injections within 12 months ( P < 0.05 ). Conclusions. One year after ranibizumab treatment, the area and perimeter of the FAZ were enlarged, while the VD of the SCP and DCP remained stable, which indicated that ranibizumab treatment did not improve macular blood supply and macular ischemia in BRVO patients.

High frequency SD-OCT follow-up leading to up to biweekly intravitreal ranibizumab treatment in neovascular age-related macular degeneration

A remarkable proportion of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) patients respond rather poorly to ranibizumab treatment, in spite of the minimum 4-week follow-up and treatment interval. Usually, retreatments are based on nAMD activity as evaluated by Spectral-domain Optical coherence Tomography (SD-OCT), biomicroscopic fundus examination and visual acuity changes. In this prospective pilot study, we aimed to study SD-OCT changes in a high-frequent follow-up manner (weekly (month 0–6), biweekly (month 7–12)) throughout the first year, which consequently led to intravitreal ranibizumab being administered up to biweekly. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was already significantly improved at week 2. Central retinal thickness (CRT), intraretinal and subretinal fluid (SRF) were significantly improved from week 1 onwards. Half of the patients showed nAMD activity at week 2 or 3 and received the first retreatment earlier than 4 weeks after baseline injection. In total, 46% of retreatments were already applied 2 or 3 weeks after the previous treatment. Greater range of CRT and SRF fluctuation during follow-up was associated with lower final BCVA. Lower baseline BCVA and better SRF improvement at week 2 was associated with greater BCVA improvement. In conclusion, high-frequency SD-OCT follow-up provided a good option for adapting treatment in nAMD individually.

Correlation between improvement in visual acuity and QOL after Ranibizumab treatment for age-related macular degeneration patients: QUATRO study

Background To evaluate the correlation between visual acuity improvement and vision-related QOL after ranibizumab treatment in Japanese patients with AMD. Methods In this one-year prospective, interventional, open-label, multicenter study involving four sites, patients with neovascular AMD were enrolled and observed for 12 months. Treatment-naïve patients received 0.5 mg ranibizumab as needed after three initial monthly doses. The best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT) were measured at every visit. Evaluations with the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25) and patient satisfaction questionnaire were performed at baseline and 3 and 12 months after initial treatment. The primary endpoint was change in BCVA and QOL 3 months after ranibizumab treatment. QOL outcomes were also assessed in the better and poor BVCA subgroups. Results The study enrolled 100 patients. The mean logMAR BCVA after treatment improved significantly from 0.43 to 0.30 at 3 months (p< 0.0001), and 0.28 at 12 months (p< 0.0001). The mean NEI-VFQ-25 composite scores improved from 79.48 to 84.13 at 3 months (p< 0.0001), and 86.0 at 12 months (p< 0.0001). The 3 and 12-month changes in NEI-VFQ-25 score and BCVA showed significant correlation. In the poor baseline visual acuity group (decimal BCVA ≤0.5), there was a significant correlation between the changes in the NEI-VFQ-25 score and BCVA (p=0.02) but not in the better baseline visual acuity group (decimal BCVA > 0.6, p=0.1) at 3 months. There were no significant differences in the satisfaction questionnaire score from baseline to at 3 months (p=0.54) and 12 months (p=0.23). The average CMT improved significantly from 340 to 264 μm at 3 months (p< 0.0001) and to 268 μm at 12 months (p< 0.0001). Conclusions Intravitreal ranibizumab treatment resulted in improvement in visual acuity, anatomical change, and visual function change in Japanese AMD patients. Significant improvement was seen in patient visual function, and this was correlated with changes in VA, except immediately after loading dose treatment in patients with higher baseline VA. The patients’ satisfaction with the treatment remained unchanged during the study period. Trial registration This study is registered at UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN000012013). Registered October 10, 2013, as prospective study.