SHORT-TERM EFFECT OF INTRAVITREAL RANIBIZUMAB THERAPY ON MACULAR EDEMA AFTER BRANCH RETINAL VEIN OCCLUSION

Efficacy of intravitreal Lucentis injection on major and macular branch retinal vein occlusion

Background

The objective of our study was to assess the efficacy of intravitreal Lucentis injection on major and macular branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).

Methods

In this retrospective analysis, 43 patients (major BRVO n = 24; macular BRVO, n = 19) were treated with intravitreal injection of Lucentis with a 1 + PRN regimen, which is diagnosed by fluorescein fundus angiography (FFA). “1 + PRN”, namely, one intravitreal injection of Lucentis at the baseline, and then continue or stop according to the condition of the patient. The following observation indexes were measured at baseline and follow-up (1–6 months): best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), foveal thickness (CFT), total retinal volume with macular diameter of 6 mm. During the follow-up, repeated injections were given according to patients’ demand, and the number of injections was recorded.

Result

The observation indexes of patients with BRVO were significantly improved after 6 months of Lucentis treatment in both major and macular groups, including BCVA, CFT and the retinal volume of the 6 mm-diameter macula. Interestingly, there were significant differences in the therapeutic effect between the two groups, and the macular group had better therapeutic effect than the major group with the less number of repeated injections.

Conclusions

To sum up, intravitreal injection of Lucentis was effective for both major and macular BRVO, and the efficacy in macular subtype group was better than that in major subtype group with the more obviously improvement and the less number of injections.

RANIBIZUMAB FOR RETINAL VEIN OCCLUSION: Predictive Factors and Long-Term Outcomes in Real-Life Data

PURPOSE

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the long-term anatomical and functional outcomes in patients with retinal vein occlusion (RVO), either central retinal vein occlusion or branch retinal vein occlusion, treated with intravitreal ranibizumab and to determine the predictive factors of the final visual outcome.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 54 treatment-naive patients with macular edema due to RVO (25 with central retinal vein occlusion and 29 with branch retinal vein occlusion), who were treated with intravitreal ranibizumab (3 monthly injections and pro re nata). Predictive factors for visual outcome were assessed. In addition, the best-corrected visual acuity change and the percentage of patients with edema resolution were evaluated.

RESULTS

The mean follow-up time was 47.4 ± 11.1 months. At the end of the follow-up, patients with central retinal vein occlusion gained +6.9 letters (∼1 Snellen line), whereas patients with branch retinal vein occlusion gained +15.1 letters (3 Snellen lines). Forty-eight percent of patients in central retinal vein occlusion group and 69.0% in branch retinal vein occlusion group presented resolution of macular edema. Negative predictive factors for the final visual outcome were found to be increasing age, increasing macular thickness, the presence of intraretinal fluid, the duration of RVO >3 months, the ischemic type of RVO, the cystoid type of edema, and the external limiting membrane and ellipsoid zone disruption.

CONCLUSION

The various predictive factors that determine the visual outcome and possibly define the patients' prognosis after ranibizumab treatment in RVO have been studied. The long follow-up period showed that ranibizumab seems to be safe and effective in the treatment of the disease.

Correlation between short- and long-term effects of intravitreal ranibizumab therapy on macular edema after branch retinal vein occlusion: a prospective observational study

Background

The correlation between the short- and long-term effects of intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR) on macular edema after branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) remains unclear. We assessed the correlation between the short- and long-term effects of IVR on macular edema after BRVO.

Methods

Twenty-one eyes with macular edema after BRVO were enrolled in this prospective observational study. We measured the foveal thickness (FT) and the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) before, 1 day after, and 1 month after IVR (0.5 mg) and then at least every 2 months thereafter until 6 months after the injection. If the macular edema recurred, another injection was administered. The primary endpoint was the change from baseline in the BCVA (ΔVA).

Results

The mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution VA improved significantly (p = 0.01, p < 0.0001, respectively) after 1 day from 0.65 ± 0.28 to 0.51 ± 0.21 (20/89 to 20/63, Snellen equivalent) and after 6 months to 0.29 ± 0.24 (20/39, Snellen equivalent). The mean FT decreased significantly (p < 0.0001) after 1 day from 482 ± 85 μm to 349 ± 75 μm and after 6 months to 305 ± 84 μm. The 1-day VA was significantly (r = 0.68, p = 0.0007) positively correlated with the 6-month VA. The 1-day ΔVA was significantly (r = 0.79, p < 0.0001) positively correlated with the 6-month ΔVA.

Conclusions

The short-term effects of IVR may predict the long-term effects of IVR in macular edema secondary to BRVO.

Trial registration

Trial registration number: UMIN000027003. Retrospectively registered. (April/15/2017)

Short-term effects of intravitreal ranibizumab therapy on diabetic macular edema

Background

The short-term effects of intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR) on diabetic macular edema (DME) remains unclear. We assessed the short-term effects of IVR on DME.

Methods

Eighteen eyes of 14 patients with DME were enrolled in this prospective interventional case series. After intravitreal ranibizumab was injected into treatment-naïve eyes with DME, we measured the foveal thickness (FT) before and 2 h, 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month later and the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at all times except 2 h and compared the changes to baseline (ΔFT and ΔVA).

Results

The mean FT decreased significantly (p < 0.0001) from 452 ± 77 to 429 ± 65 microns after 2 h. The mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution BCVA improved significantly (p = 0.032) after 1 month from 0.41 ± 0.24 to 0.32 ± 0.21 (20/51 to 20/42, Snellen equivalent). The ΔFT after 2 h was significantly (r = 0.53, p = 0.025) correlated with the ΔFT after 1 month. The ΔVA after 1 day was significantly (r = 0.59, p = 0.01) correlated with the ΔVA after 1 month.

Conclusions

The structural effects of IVR for DME occurred within 2 h, whereas the functional effects occurred after 1 month. The short-term effects (within 1 day) of IVR may predict the therapeutic outcome 1 month after IVR in patients with DME.

Trial registration

The trial registration number: UMIN000026118 (Feb/13/2017). Retrospectively registered.

Initiation of intravitreal aflibercept injection treatment in patients with diabetic macular edema: a review of VIVID-DME and VISTA-DME data

Background

Diabetic macular edema (DME) shows a gradual and sustained functional and morphologic response to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs, but the optimal schedule for initiation of anti-VEGF therapy is not known. This study evaluates the treatment response behavior of DME in the Phase 3 trials of intravitreal aflibercept, with 5 initial intravitreal aflibercept injections (IAI), 2 mg every 4 weeks (2q4), in the upload phase.

Methods

This post hoc pooled analysis of the VISTA-DME (NCT01363440) and VIVID-DME (NCT01331681) trials evaluated the change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central retinal thickness (CRT) during the upload phase, using pooled data from both IAI treatment groups [2q4 and 2 mg every 8 weeks (2q8)]. The mean visit-to-visit change in BCVA and CRT, and the respective rate of gainers and losers was calculated for each successive visit. A secondary analysis compared the visit-to-visit change in BCVA between the 2q4 and 2q8 treatment arms during the upload period and the first year treatment period.

Results

The majority of eyes showed a continuing improvement of BCVA after the first IAI. The proportions of eyes gaining BCVA (≥5 letters) at each visit compared with the previous visit during the IAI 2q4 upload phase were 60 (4-weeks), 19 (8-weeks), 16 (12-weeks), 15 (16-weeks), and 14 % (20-weeks). In contrast, the proportions of eyes losing BCVA (≥5 letters) were 3 (4-weeks), 7 (8-weeks), 7 (12-weeks), 9 (16-weeks), and 8 % (20-weeks), respectively. The odds of BCVA (≥5 letters) gain/loss exceeded 1.7 at each visit (range 1.7–20). Overall, the proportion of patients with BCVA gain ≥5 letters at week 20 (compared with baseline) was 76 and 80 % in the 2q4 and 2q8 groups, respectively. The proportions of eyes showing a visit-to-visit decrease in CRT of ≥30 µm during the first 5 IAI were 77 (4-weeks), 27 (8-weeks), 21 (12-weeks), 17 (16-weeks), and 12 % (20-weeks). In the secondary analysis, the BCVA outcomes were similar for the 2q8 and 2q4 treatment arms.

Conclusions

The data presented here are consistent with continual functional and anatomic improvement following the fourth and fifth initial 2q4 injections, suggesting that an intensive and sufficiently long upload may be beneficial.

Trial registration VIVID-DME: Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01331681; VISTA-DME: Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01363440