PURPOSE: To compare anterior chamber and vitreous inflammation after intravitreal injection of ranibizumab or aflibercept. METHODS: This was a prospective, open label, nonrandomized phase 4 clinical study. One hundred patients with choroidal neovascularization due to age-related macular degeneration received intravitreal aflibercept (N = 53) or ranibizumab (N = 47). Medication use was balanced by gender, injected eye, and lens status (phakic vs. pseudophakic). An examiner masked to medication graded anterior chamber and vitreous inflammation 1-2 and 5-7 days after injection according to the Standardization of Uveitis Nomenclature grading scheme. RESULTS: Mean patient age was 78.6 years. Maximum anterior chamber reaction of 0.5+ was seen at the first postinjection examination in 2% of eyes receiving ranibizumab and in 19% of eyes receiving aflibercept (Fisher's exact test 2 sided, P = 0.0091); vitreous reaction was minimal and infrequent in both groups and the difference was not statistically significant. At 5-7 days after injection, 1 patient treated with aflibercept had residual anterior chamber inflammation of 0.5+ and no patient treated with ranibizumab had residual inflammation. CONCLUSION: Aflibercept may be associated with more anterior chamber inflammation than ranibizumab, although mild and transient. This should not be mistaken for endophthalmitis.
PURPOSE: To compare anterior chamber and vitreous inflammation after intravitreal injection of ranibizumab or aflibercept. METHODS: This was a prospective, open label, nonrandomized phase 4 clinical study. One hundred patients with choroidal neovascularization due to age-related macular degeneration received intravitreal aflibercept (N = 53) or ranibizumab (N = 47). Medication use was balanced by gender, injected eye, and lens status (phakic vs. pseudophakic). An examiner masked to medication graded anterior chamber and vitreous inflammation 1-2 and 5-7 days after injection according to the Standardization of Uveitis Nomenclature grading scheme. RESULTS: Mean patient age was 78.6 years. Maximum anterior chamber reaction of 0.5+ was seen at the first postinjection examination in 2% of eyes receiving ranibizumab and in 19% of eyes receiving aflibercept (Fisher's exact test 2 sided, P = 0.0091); vitreous reaction was minimal and infrequent in both groups and the difference was not statistically significant. At 5-7 days after injection, 1 patient treated with aflibercept had residual anterior chamber inflammation of 0.5+ and no patient treated with ranibizumab had residual inflammation. CONCLUSION: Aflibercept may be associated with more anterior chamber inflammation than ranibizumab, although mild and transient. This should not be mistaken for endophthalmitis.