OBJECTIVE: To describe visual and anatomical outcomes following bi-weekly intravitreal ranibizumab/bevacizumab injections in eyes with refractory neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and pigment epithelial detachment (PED). DESIGN: Retrospective, consecutive, interventional case series. PARTICIPANTS: Eighteen patients diagnosed with neovascular AMD that were refractory to anti-VEGF therapy and received alternating biweekly ranibizumab/bevacizumab injections were included. METHODS:Patients with neovascular AMD and PED that were refractory to at least 11 monthlyranibizumab or bevacizumab injections were included in this study at a large, single retina practice. Following inclusion, patients received four bi-weekly alternating ranibizumab/bevacizumab intravitreal injections. After completing a course of four bi-weekly injections, patients were treated with variable regimens of intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy. The primary outcomes of the study included change in visual acuity (VA) and central foveal thickness (CFT) at eight weeks follow-up. RESULTS: Study eyes had previously received a mean of 22 intravitreal anti-VEGF injections. At enrollment, mean VA was 20/95 and mean CFT was 455 µm. After four bi-weekly anti-VEGF injections, mean VA improved to 20/65 (p < 0.001), and mean CFT decreased to 387 µm (p = 0.029). In patients with PED, there was a mean 27.9% reduction in height (p = 0.046) at eight weeks' follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Four injections of bi-weekly alternating ranibizumab/bevacizumab improved visual acuity and reduced macular thickness in a number of patients with refractory neovascular AMD and PED.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To describe visual and anatomical outcomes following bi-weekly intravitreal ranibizumab/bevacizumab injections in eyes with refractory neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and pigment epithelial detachment (PED). DESIGN: Retrospective, consecutive, interventional case series. PARTICIPANTS: Eighteen patients diagnosed with neovascular AMD that were refractory to anti-VEGF therapy and received alternating biweekly ranibizumab/bevacizumab injections were included. METHODS:Patients with neovascular AMD and PED that were refractory to at least 11 monthly ranibizumab or bevacizumab injections were included in this study at a large, single retina practice. Following inclusion, patients received four bi-weekly alternating ranibizumab/bevacizumab intravitreal injections. After completing a course of four bi-weekly injections, patients were treated with variable regimens of intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy. The primary outcomes of the study included change in visual acuity (VA) and central foveal thickness (CFT) at eight weeks follow-up. RESULTS: Study eyes had previously received a mean of 22 intravitreal anti-VEGF injections. At enrollment, mean VA was 20/95 and mean CFT was 455 µm. After four bi-weekly anti-VEGF injections, mean VA improved to 20/65 (p < 0.001), and mean CFT decreased to 387 µm (p = 0.029). In patients with PED, there was a mean 27.9% reduction in height (p = 0.046) at eight weeks' follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Four injections of bi-weekly alternating ranibizumab/bevacizumab improved visual acuity and reduced macular thickness in a number of patients with refractory neovascular AMD and PED.
Authors: Michael Mimouni; Amit Meshi; Igor Vainer; Assaf Gershoni; Tal Koren; Noa Geffen; Arie Y Nemet; Ori Segal Journal: Jpn J Ophthalmol Date: 2018-09-29 Impact factor: 2.447