[Analysis of cardiovascular diseases after the upload phase with intravitreal ranibizumab and bevacizumab in patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration]

Association of Intravitreal Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Therapy With Risk of Stroke, Myocardial Infarction, and Death in Patients With Exudative Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Importance

Current studies assessing the risk of stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), and death in patients undergoing intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy are inconclusive. To our knowledge, no population-based studies have been performed to examine these potential risks.

Objective

To examine whether patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) receiving intravitreal anti-VEGF injections have a higher incidence of MI, stroke, or death compared with control populations.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This population-based, retrospective cohort study included 504 patients from Olmsted County, Minnesota, identified through the Rochester Epidemiology Project (REP) database as receiving at least 1 intravitreal anti-VEGF injection for exudative AMD from January 1, 2004, to December 31, 2013. Three age- and sex-matched control groups of individuals who did not receive anti-VEGF treatment and were derived from the REP database were also studied: control individuals with exudative AMD in the era before anti-VEGF (January 1, 1990, to December 31, 2003), controls with dry AMD, and controls without AMD. Data analysis was performed from September 1, 2016, to September 1, 2017.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Five-year risk of stroke, MI, and death were assessed in patients compared with controls using Kaplan-Meier and multivariate analysis with Cox proportional hazards regression models.

Results

The study included 504 patients (321 female [63.7%]; mean [SD] age, 76.5 [10.0] years) who received at least 1 intravitreal anti-VEGF injection for exudative AMD during the study period. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a 5-year risk of 7.2% for stroke, 6.1% for MI, and 30.0% for death. Patients who received anti-VEGF had no increased risk of stroke or MI compared with controls with dry AMD (n = 504), controls with exudative AMD (n = 473), or controls without AMD (n = 504). There was an increased risk of mortality compared with controls with exudative AMD in the era prior to anti-VEGF therapy but not the other control groups on multivariate analysis (hazard ratio, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.30-2.04; P < .001).

Conclusions and Relevance

This population-based study revealed that intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy for exudative AMD was not associated with consistent increases in the risk of stroke, MI, or death compared with no therapy in patients with or without AMD. It appears to be likely the cardiac events these patients experience are not attributable to their anti-VEGF therapy.

Change in cardiac troponin T level after intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment: Prospective pilot study

Background:

Evaluate subclinical myocardial injury associated with intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy by measuring serum high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T.

Methods:

This is a prospective pilot comparative study conducted at American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon. In total, 40 consecutive patients were randomized to receive either intravitreal bevacizumab or ranibizumab. Patients received three consecutive monthly injections of the assigned drug, then continued treatment as needed. Systemic concentrations of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T and vascular endothelial growth factor were obtained at baseline, week 9, and week 24. Primary endpoint measure was change in high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T levels compared to baseline. Secondary endpoint measure was change in systemic vascular endothelial growth factor levels.

Results:

There was no significant difference in high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T levels over time ( p = 0.227) within each treatment group and no significant difference between treatments at any time point ( p = 0.276). There was a significant decrease in plasma vascular endothelial growth factor levels at week 9 ( p = 0.001) and week 24 ( p < 0.001) compared to baseline. In the ranibizumab group, vascular endothelial growth factor levels were not significantly different at weeks 9 and 24 compared to baseline ( p = 0.708 and p = 0.117, respectively). There was a significant association between the number of bevacizumab injections from weeks 8 to 24 and the decrease in vascular endothelial growth factor levels at week 24 ( R = −0.67, p = 0.032). This correlation was not observed in the ranibizumab group ( R = −0.341, p = 0.141).

Conclusion:

Repeated intravitreal bevacizumab or ranibizumab did not influence serum high-sensitivity cardiac troponin levels. Intravitreal bevacizumab but not ranibizumab lowered free-systemic vascular endothelial growth factor levels, which was observed in this study to be inversely related to the number of bevacizumab injections.

Ranibizumab and digital ischemia

Case report of a patient with age-related macular degeneration whose digital ischemia can most plausibly be attributed to ranibizumab.

PURPOSE

To report ranibizumab as the probable cause of digital ischemia in a patient treated for age-related macular degeneration.

METHODS

Single-patient case report.

RESULTS

An 83-year-old woman with an unremarkable medical history suffered acute ischemia in her left hand with necrosis of the distal phalange of the fifth finger after six intravitreal injections of ranibizumab. Her etiological work-up was negative. Her condition improved after endovascular revascularization and remained good at six months' follow-up after three months of dual antithrombotic therapy (low molecular weight heparin then rivaroxaban, both with aspirin) followed by rivaroxaban alone and four courses of intravenous iloprost.

CONCLUSION

The increased incidence of peripheral arterial thromboembolic events in patients under ranibizumab treatment is slight but significant, with 0.8-5% of patients affected, most of which suffer strokes. These events seem to occur at a random time after ranibizumab treatment is initiated and no reliable marker has yet been identified. The most probable cause of digital ischemia in our patient was ranibizumab.