Intravitreal aflibercept and ranibizumab for pachychoroid neovasculopathy

Sci Rep. 2019 Feb 14;9(1):2055. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-38504-y.

Abstract

This retrospective study was to compare the efficacy of intravitreal injection of ranibizumab and aflibercept for patients with pachychoroid neovasculopathy. 54 eyes were initially treated with 3 monthly loading injections of ranibizumab or aflibercept. Treatment switching from ranibizumab to aflibercept, and aflibercept to photodynamic therapy was done at 3 months in case of incomplete fluid absorption. At 3 months, the rate of complete fluid absorption was significantly higher in the aflibercept-treated group than in the ranibizumab-treated group (82.6% vs 51.6%, p = 0.018). The mean reduction of subfoveal choroidal thickness was significantly greater in the aflibercept group than in the ranibizumab group (-35 µm vs -9 µm, p = 0.013). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of visual improvement or decrease in central macular thickness. Complete fluid absorption was achieved after switching from ranibizumab to aflibercept in 13 of 15 eyes (86.7%). Adjunctive photodynamic therapy was required in 6 eyes. In conclusion, treatment mainly with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor effectively improved visual acuity within 12 months (from 20/56 to 20/44 at 3 months and to 20/36 at 12 months). Aflibercept was superior to ranibizumab in achieving dry macula and reducing choroidal thickness at 3 months.

MeSH terms

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Choroid / drug effects*
  • Choroid / metabolism
  • Choroidal Neovascularization / drug therapy*
  • Choroidal Neovascularization / metabolism
  • Female
  • Fluorescein Angiography / methods
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Intravitreal Injections / methods
  • Macula Lutea / drug effects
  • Macula Lutea / metabolism
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Photochemotherapy / methods
  • Ranibizumab / therapeutic use*
  • Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / therapeutic use*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / therapeutic use*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism
  • Visual Acuity / drug effects

Substances

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • aflibercept
  • Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor
  • Ranibizumab