Predictive Factors And Long-Term Visual Outcomes After Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Treatment Of Retinal Angiomatous Proliferation

Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor monotherapy or combined with verteporfin photodynamic therapy for retinal angiomatous proliferation: a systematic review with meta-analysis

Purpose: To assess functional and anatomical outcomes of intravitreal anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (anti-VEGF) monotherapy versus combined with verteporfin Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) for Retinal Angiomatous Proliferation (RAP). Methods: Studies reporting outcomes of intravitreal anti-VEGF monotherapy and/or in combination with verteporfin PDT in RAP eyes with a follow-up ≥ 12 months were searched. The primary outcome was the mean change in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 12 months. Mean change in central macular thickness (CMT) and mean number of injections were considered as secondary outcomes. The mean difference (MD) between pre- and post-treatment values was calculated along with 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI). Meta-regressions were performed to assess the influence of anti-VEGF number of injections on BCVA and CMT outcomes. Results: Thirty-four studies were included. A mean gain of 5.16 letters (95% CI = 3.30-7.01) and 10.38 letters (95% CI = 8.02-12.75) was shown in the anti-VEGF group and combined group, respectively (anti-VEGF group vs. combined group, p < 0.01). A mean CMT reduction of 132.45 µm (95% CI = from -154.99 to -109.90) and 213.93 µm (95% CI = from -280.04 to -147.83) was shown in the anti-VEGF group and combined group, respectively (anti-VEGF group vs. combined group, p < 0.02). A mean of 4.9 injections (95% CI = 4.2-5.6) and 2.8 injections (95% CI = 1.3-4.4) were administered over a 12-month period in the anti-VEGF group and combined group, respectively. Meta-regression analyses showed no influence of injection number on visual and CMT outcomes. High heterogeneity was found across studies for both functional and anatomical outcomes. Conclusion: A combined approach with anti-VEGF and PDT could provide better functional and anatomical outcomes in RAP eyes compared with anti-VEGF monotherapy.

Seven-year outcome after 1-year fixed regimen of intravitreal aflibercept injections followed by pro re nata treatment for neovascular age-related macular degeneration

PURPOSE

The study aims to investigate the 7-year best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) course after 1-year fixed regimen of intravitreal aflibercept injection (IVA) for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and to identify factors affecting this BCVA.

METHODS

This longitudinal, observational study included 63 treatment-naïve eyes (61 patients) with nAMD, treated with 1-year fixed regimen of IVA-3 monthly injections and 4 subsequent bimonthly injections-essentially followed by PRN regimen of IVA but sometimes followed by agent switching, photodynamic therapy (PDT), or vitrectomy, as needed. We assessed BCVA changes over a 7-year period. Morphologically, we assessed central retinal thickness (CRT), central choroidal thickness (CCT), subfoveal pigment epithelial detachment (PED) height, vitreomacular traction/adhesion (VMT/VMA), epiretinal membrane (ERM), and macular atrophy involving the fovea.

RESULTS

Logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) BCVA changed from 0.20 ± 0.24 to 0.29 ± 0.45 over 7 years. BCVA improved significantly after years 1 and 2 (P = 0.002 and 0.001, respectively) and then slowly decreased. BCVA after years 3-7 did not significantly differ from baseline. CRT and CCT decreased significantly during follow-up, while PED height did not. VMT/VMA decreased significantly, whereas ERM and macular atrophy increased significantly. Seven-year and baseline BCVA positively correlated (P = 0.007, β = 0.35).

CONCLUSIONS

BCVA was maintained for 7 years in nAMD eyes after 1-year fixed regimen of IVA, essentially followed by PRN regimen, but sometimes followed by agent switching, PDT, or vitrectomy, without severe drug-induced complications. Thus, early diagnosis and treatment of nAMD are essential for maintaining good long-term BCVA, even in eyes with relatively poor baseline vision.

Characteristics that Correlate with Macular Atrophy in Ranibizumab-Treated Patients with Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration

OBJECTIVE

To use multimodal assessment (fluorescein angiography [FA], color fundus photography [CFP], and spectral-domain-OCT [SD-OCT]) to reevaluate macular atrophy (MA) and macular neovascularization (MNV) type in the HARBOR trial according to the consensus on neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) Nomenclature criteria; and to determine if there are any associations between baseline demographic factors, ocular characteristics, and treatment for nAMD and the development of MA by month 24.

DESIGN

Post hoc analysis of the phase III, randomized, multicenter, double-masked, controlled HARBOR trial (NCT00891735).

SUBJECTS

Nine-hundred and twenty-two study eyes and 919 fellow eyes from the HARBOR trial.

METHODS

This post hoc analysis included patients with multimodal assessments on FA, CFP, and SD-OCT at baseline. A risk analysis for the development of MA was performed by multimodal assessment and SD-OCT on study eyes without MA at baseline that had completed SD-OCT assessments for MA at month 24.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Development of MA in study eyes at month 24 and a risk analysis for developing MA at month 24 in study eyes that had no MA at baseline, as assessed by multimodal assessment.

RESULTS

Of 1097 patients in the HARBOR trial with nAMD and active subfoveal MNV, a total of 922 study eyes and 919 fellow eyes were included in the multimodal analysis of MNV. Macular atrophy assessment was performed on SD-OCT. Of these, 593 had no baseline MA and were included in the risk analysis for developing MA. In eyes with no detectable MA at baseline, a larger proportion of eyes with any MNV type 3 (including mixed type) at baseline developed new MA at month 24 (49.2%) than eyes with MNV type 1 (26.5%), type 2 (29.1%), or mixed type 1 and 2 (34.6%). Macular neovascularization type 3 and fellow eye MA were identified as risk factors for new MA development at month 24.

CONCLUSIONS

Macular neovascularization type 3 was a strong risk factor for new MA development at month 24, with fellow eye MA also being identified as a predictor. No other variables, including ranibizumab treatment, were identified as risk factors for new MA development.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S)

Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.

Reticular pseudodrusen: A critical phenotype in age-related macular degeneration

Reticular pseudodrusen (RPD), or subretinal drusenoid deposits (SDD), refer to distinct lesions that occur in the subretinal space. Over the past three decades, their presence in association with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has become increasingly recognized, especially as RPD have become more easily distinguished with newer clinical imaging modalities. There is also an increasing appreciation that RPD appear to be a critical AMD phenotype, where understanding their pathogenesis will provide further insights into the processes driving vision loss in AMD. However, key barriers to understanding the current evidence related to the independent impact of RPD include the heterogeneity in defining their presence, and failure to account for the confounding impact of the concurrent presence and severity of AMD pathology. This review thus critically discusses the current evidence on the prevalence and clinical significance of RPD and proposes a clinical imaging definition of RPD that will help move the field forward in gathering further key knowledge about this critical phenotype. It also proposes a putative mechanism for RPD formation and how they may drive progression to vision loss in AMD, through examining current evidence and presenting novel findings from preclinical and clinical studies.

OCT Angiographic Findings in Retinal Angiomatous Proliferation

BACKGROUND

OCT angiography (OCT-A) allows non-invasive blood flow registration of the retina and choroid. In contrast to fluorescein angiography (FA), no dye has to be administered. The OCT-A also provides depth-selective information. OCT-A and FA were compared in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP) stage 1. In stage 1, the neovascularizations are intraretinal. In contrast to the two-dimensional total image of the FA, the OCT-A allows a depth-selective display of the individual retinal layers. In this way, a conclusion can be drawn about the place of origin of the RAP.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Three patients with neovascular AMD and RAP stage 1 were included. They were examined with OCT (ZEISS CIRRUS HD-OCT 5000, Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Dublin, USA), OCT-A (ZEISS AngioPlex OCT-Angiography) as well as FA (HRA2, Heidelberg Engineering) between January 2016 and March 2019. A complete ophthalmological examination was performed. A qualitative analysis of the OCT-A images (3 × 3 and 6 × 6 mm) and the FA images was carried out. Leaks in the FA were compared with the en-face images of the OCT-A followed by a depth-selective assignment using the corresponding B-scans of the OCT-A.

RESULTS

It was one woman and two men aged 66 - 89 years. The visual acuity was 0.4 in the first, 0.5 p in the second and 0.8 in the third patient. The diagnosis of RAP stage 1 could be made both in the OCT, the FA and the OCT-A. All patients showed macular edema in the OCT. The FA showed selective hyperfluorescence in the early phase and fluorescein extravasation in the late phase. In OCT-A, the blood flow in all patients could be shown in the hyperreflective structure of the RAP in the B-scan. The first patient showed two RAP lesions in the FA, which were in the deep vascular plexus in the OCT-A. In the second patient, three RAP lesions were found in the FA, and a total of five RAP lesions in the OCT-A. One could be located in the superficial and deep vascular plexus, four in the deep vascular plexus. The third patient showed one RAP lesion in the FA as well as in the OCT-A, which could be assigned to the superficial vascular plexus.

CONCLUSION

The OCT-A is well suited for the diagnosis of RAP stage 1. In the present cases, the diagnosis in the OCT-A could be made as clearly as by FA. A major advantage of the OCT-A results from the non-invasive character and the depth selectivity. The RAP 1 lesions could be assigned to both the superficial and the deep vascular plexus. Depth selection is not possible with the FA due to the summary picture.