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Abstract
Purpose
To evaluate the response to and dependence on aflibercept or ranibizumab in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Methods
We retrospectively reviewed AMD patients who received induction therapy with aflibercept or ranibizumab for the following parameters: whether complete resolution of the retinal fluid (“good response”) was achieved and whether recurrence was observed within 3 months (“dependent”) after the induction treatment. With aflibercept treatment, treatment-naïve eyes with a good response/non-dependence were recommended a pro re nata regimen, and other eyes were recommended a proactive bimonthly regimen, followed by monitoring of visual acuity (VA) for 12 months. The measured values of the groups were compared using one-way analysis of variance with Tukey’s test to evaluate the difference between baseline and postinjection VA.
Results
Among the treatment-naïve eyes, 76% had a good response to aflibercept and 37% of these were aflibercept-dependent, while 58% had a good response to ranibizumab but 51% of these were ranibizumab-dependent. Among the eyes that converted from ranibizumab treatment, 92% of the good responders to ranibizumab with dependence and 76% of the poor responders on ranibizumab had a good response to aflibercept. With aflibercept treatment, the mean VA of treatment-naïve patients was significantly better than the baseline VA over 12 months (P<0.001), and the VA of the converted group improved significantly with proactive treatment and the improvement was continuously maintained from 6 to 12 months.
Conclusion
The evaluation of response to and dependence on anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapies in AMD was useful and practical in managing therapeutic protocols to obtain a good VA.
Disclosure
The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.