Retinal reperfusion in diabetic retinopathy following treatment with anti-VEGF intravitreal injections

Figures & data

Figure 1 Reperfusion in eye of a 61-year-old male, following treatment with 5 injections of ranibizumab.

Notes: Preinjection fluorescein angiography (A–C) shows ischemia and abnormal neovascularization (A, preinjection fluorescein angiogram; B, magnified view of preinjection fluorescein angiogram; and C, binary preinjection image). Postinjection images (D–F) show reperfusion with improved perfusion as compared with preinjection image A (D, postinjection fluorescein angiogram; E, magnified view of preinjection fluorescein angiogram; and F, binary postinjection image).

Figure 2 Reperfusion in eye of a 60-year-old female, following treatment with two injections of ranibizumab.

Notes: The preinjection fluorescein angiography (A, preinjection fluorescein angiogram and B, binary preinjection image) shows peripheral ischemia both inside and outside the field of 7SF FA (B, red outline). The postinjection image (C, postinjection fluorescein angiogram and D, binary postinjection image) shows reperfusion both inside and outside the field of 7SF FA (D, red outline).
Abbreviations: 7SF, 7-standard field; FA, fluorescein angiography.

Table 1 Patient demographics (n=15 patients)

Variable	Positive reperfusion (n=11)	Negative reperfusion (n=4)
Sex (n)
Male	7	2
Female	4	2
Diabetes mellitus type (n)
1	0	0
2	11	4
Age (years)
Mean	60	61.5
Range	46–73	47–71
Weight (kg)
Mean	87.7	N/A
Range	54.9–141.5
Body mass index (kg/m^2)
Mean	30.7	N/A
Range	21.9–48.1
HbA1c (%)
Mean	8.68	N/A
Range	7.2–14
Comorbidities (n)*
HT	10	2
CHF	2	2
Smoker (n)
Never	7	3
Former	3	1
Current	1	0

Note:

* One patient in the positive reperfusion group had both HT and CHF.

Abbreviations: CHF, congestive heart failure; HT, hypertension; N/A, data not available.

Table 2 Treatment and UWFA imaging (n=16 eyes)

Variable	Positive reperfusion (n=12)	Negative reperfusion (n=4)
Drug (n)*
Ranibizumab	11	2
Bevacizumab	1	2
Aflibercept	0	1
No injections
Mean	3	7.25
Range	1.0–6.0	5.0–14.0
Time between last injection and postinjection UWFA (days)
Mean	67	42
Range	21.0–144.0	21.0–70.0
Time of FA after dye injected (seconds)
Mean	72	58
Range	38.0–110.0	38.0–91.0
Time difference between pre- and postinjection images evaluated (seconds)
Mean	4.5	15.5
Range	0.0–28.0	1.0–31.0

Note:

* One patient in the negative reperfusion group was treated with more than one drug.

Abbreviations: FA, fluorescein angiography; UWFA, ultra-widefield fluorescein angiography.