Longitudinal Panretinal Leakage and Ischemic Indices in Retinal Vascular Disease after Aflibercept Therapy: The PERMEATE Study

Abstract

Purpose: To characterize the longitudinal panretinal retinal vascular dynamics in diabetic macular edema (DME) and retinal vein occlusion (RVO) over a 12-month period while being treated with intravitreal aflibercept injections (IAIs).

Design: Prospective open-label study (clinicaltrials.gov identifier, NCT02503540).

Participants: Thirty-one treatment-naive eyes with foveal-involving retinal edema secondary to DME and RVO.

Methods: Participants received 2 mg IAI every 4 weeks for the first 6 months, followed by 2 mg every 8 weeks. Ultra-widefield fluorescein angiography (UWFA; California Optos [Optos, Dunfermline, United Kingdom]) and spectral-domain OCT (Cirrus; Zeiss, Oberkochen, Germany) scans were obtained and analyzed using a novel quantitative assessment platform. Visual acuity, central subfield thickness, and adverse events also were collected.

Main outcome measures: The primary end point was the mean change in panretinal leakage index at month 12 from baseline as measured by UWFA.

Results: Mean age was 67.1 years. At month 12, visual acuity significantly improved by a mean of 18.4±21.4 letters (P < 0.0001), and central subfield thickness also improved significantly, with a mean reduction of 301.3±250.3 μm (P < 0.0001). Mean panretinal leakage index improved significantly, decreasing from 3.4% at baseline to 0.5% at month 6 (P <0.0001) and 0.4% at month 12 (P < 0.0001). Panretinal ischemic index did not demonstrate any significant change but showed a nonsignificant increase from 5.5% at baseline to 6.1% at month 6 (P = 0.315) and 8.7% at month 12 (P = 0.193). Eyes with DME showed a decrease in leakage index from 3.5±2.7% at baseline to 1.6±0.8% at month 12 (P = 0.018) and overall stability in ischemic index from 5.0±4.1% at baseline to 4.7±3.5% at month 12 (P = 0.689). Participants with RVO showed a decrease in leakage index from 3.3±1.1% at baseline to 0.02±0.03% at 12 months (P < 0.0001) and a nonsignificant increase in ischemic index from 5.9±4.5% at baseline to 12.6±9.8% at month 12 (P = 0.172).

Conclusions: Intravitreal aflibercept injections resulted in a dramatic reduction in panretinal leakage index. Panretinal ischemic index did not improve and trended toward worsening.