The Short-Term Effects of Aflibercept on the Size of Choroidal Neovascularization Lesion in Treatment-Resistant Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration As Determined by Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography Publisher Pubmed



Abri Aghdam K^{1, 2} ; Seidensticker F¹ ; Pielen A¹ ; Framme C¹ ; Junker B¹ Show Affiliations
Source: Lasers in Surgery and Medicine Published:2016

Abstract

Background and Objectives: To evaluate the changes in the size of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) lesion using spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in patients with treatment-resistant neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) who were switched from ranibizumab to aflibercept. Materials and Methods: In this prospective case-series, 33 eyes of 30 patients with treatment-resistant neovascular AMD were included. Treatment-resistant neovascular AMD was defined as choriodal neovascularization secondary to AMD determined by subretinal fluid and/or intraretinal fluid/cysts after more than 6 months of monthly ranibizumab therapy. Enrolled eyes were received intravitreal aflibercept injections at weeks 0, 4, and 8. Maximum area of CNV lesion in the cross-sectional area in the B-scan was measured using Heidelberg Eye Explorer software. The same cross-sectional sections containing maximum area of CNV lesion were used during the follow-up. CNV subtypes were determined based on fluorescein angiography images prior to ranibizumab therapy. Main outcome measures were changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central subfield thickness (CST), and area of CNV lesion. Results: There were five classic (15%), seven minimally classic (21%), and 21 occult subtypes of CNV (64%). Four weeks after the third injection, BCVA improvement and reduction of the retinal thickness in nine standard ETDRS subfields were significant (both P < 0.001). Regarding and regardless of CNV subtypes, mean area of CNV lesion decreased significantly at final visit. Overall, a dry macula was achieved in 21 eyes (64%) and 12 eyes (36%) showed decreased or unchanged edema. Conclusions: Switching to aflibercept seems to result in reduction of CNV lesion area in short-term follow-up of patients with treatment-resistant neovascular AMD. Lasers Surg. Med. 48:668–677, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.