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Zhang J, Sheng X, Ding Q, Wang Y, Zhao J, Zhang J. Subretinal fibrosis secondary to neovascular age-related macular degeneration: mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets. Neural Regen Res 2025; 20:378-393. [PMID: 38819041 PMCID: PMC11317958 DOI: 10.4103/nrr.nrr-d-23-01642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Subretinal fibrosis is the end-stage sequelae of neovascular age-related macular degeneration. It causes local damage to photoreceptors, retinal pigment epithelium, and choroidal vessels, which leads to permanent central vision loss of patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration. The pathogenesis of subretinal fibrosis is complex, and the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. Therefore, there are no effective treatment options. A thorough understanding of the pathogenesis of subretinal fibrosis and its related mechanisms is important to elucidate its complications and explore potential treatments. The current article reviews several aspects of subretinal fibrosis, including the current understanding on the relationship between neovascular age-related macular degeneration and subretinal fibrosis; multimodal imaging techniques for subretinal fibrosis; animal models for studying subretinal fibrosis; cellular and non-cellular constituents of subretinal fibrosis; pathophysiological mechanisms involved in subretinal fibrosis, such as aging, infiltration of macrophages, different sources of mesenchymal transition to myofibroblast, and activation of complement system and immune cells; and several key molecules and signaling pathways participating in the pathogenesis of subretinal fibrosis, such as vascular endothelial growth factor, connective tissue growth factor, fibroblast growth factor 2, platelet-derived growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β, transforming growth factor-β signaling pathway, Wnt signaling pathway, and the axis of heat shock protein 70-Toll-like receptors 2/4-interleukin-10. This review will improve the understanding of the pathogenesis of subretinal fibrosis, allow the discovery of molecular targets, and explore potential treatments for the management of subretinal fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingxiang Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, People’s Hospital of Huangdao District, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
| | - Xia Sheng
- Department of Ophthalmology, People’s Hospital of Huangdao District, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
| | - Quanju Ding
- Department of Ophthalmology, People’s Hospital of Huangdao District, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
| | - Yujun Wang
- Department of Urology, People’s Hospital of Huangdao District, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
| | - Jiwei Zhao
- Department of Ophthalmology, People’s Hospital of Huangdao District, Qingdao, Shandong Province, China
| | - Jingfa Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai First People’s Hospital), Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- National Clinical Research Center for Eye Diseases, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Ocular Fundus Diseases, Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai Engineering Center for Precise Diagnosis and Treatment of Eye Diseases, Shanghai, China
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Reiter GS, Mares V, Leingang O, Fuchs P, Bogunovic H, Barthelmes D, Schmidt-Erfurth U. Long-term effect of fluid volumes during the maintenance phase in neovascular age-related macular degeneration: results from Fight Retinal Blindness! CANADIAN JOURNAL OF OPHTHALMOLOGY 2024; 59:350-357. [PMID: 37989493 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcjo.2023.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of macular fluid volumes (subretinal fluid [SRF], intraretinal fluid [IRF], and pigment epithelium detachment [PED]) after initial treatment on functional and structural outcomes in neovascular age-related macular degeneration in a real-world cohort from Fight Retinal Blindness! METHODS Treatment-naive neovascular age-related macular degeneration patients from Fight Retinal Blindness! (Zürich, Switzerland) were included. Macular fluid on optical coherence tomography was automatically quantified using an approved artificial intelligence algorithm. Follow-up of macular fluid, number of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatments, effect of fluid volumes after initial treatment (high, top 25%; low, bottom 75%) on best-corrected visual acuity, and development of macular atrophy and fibrosis was investigated over 48 months. RESULTS A total of 209 eyes (mean age, 78.3 years) were included. Patients with high IRF volumes after initial treatment differed by -2.6 (p = 0.021) and -7.4 letters (p = 0.007) at months 12 and 48, respectively. Eyes with high IRF received significantly more treatments (+1.6 [p < 0.001] and +5.3 [p = 0.002] at months 12 and 48, respectively). Patients with high SRF or PED had comparable best-corrected visual acuity outcomes but received significantly more treatments for SRF (+2.4 [p < 0.001] and +11.4 [p < 0.001] at months 12 and 48, respectively) and PED (+1.2 [p = 0.001] and +7.8 [p < 0.001] at months 12 and 48, respectively). DISCUSSION Patients with high macular fluid after initial treatment are at risk of losing vision that may not be compensable with higher treatment frequency for IRF. Higher treatment frequency for SRF and PED may result in comparable treatment outcomes. Quantification of macular fluid in all compartments is essential to detect eyes at risk of aggressive disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregor S Reiter
- Laboratory for Ophthalmic Image Analysis, Department of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Virginia Mares
- Laboratory for Ophthalmic Image Analysis, Department of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Department of Ophthalmology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Oliver Leingang
- Laboratory for Ophthalmic Image Analysis, Department of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Philipp Fuchs
- Laboratory for Ophthalmic Image Analysis, Department of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Hrvoje Bogunovic
- Laboratory for Ophthalmic Image Analysis, Department of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniel Barthelmes
- Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ursula Schmidt-Erfurth
- Laboratory for Ophthalmic Image Analysis, Department of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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Lenhof S, Kodjikian L, Gascon P, Gadiollet E, Feldman A, De Bats F, Wolff B, Pradat P, Mathis T. Subretinal fibrosis occurrence according to macular neovascularisation subtypes in neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Acta Ophthalmol 2024. [PMID: 39319643 DOI: 10.1111/aos.16759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 09/14/2024] [Indexed: 09/26/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE To assess subretinal fibrosis (SF) occurrence in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), according to macular neovascularisation (MNV) subtypes. METHODS A Retrospective national multi centre cohort study included eyes with naive nAMD. Main outcome measures were, according to MNV subtypes, cumulative incidence for SF, risk factors, and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) for 36 months. RESULTS Four hundred and twenty eyes were included. Cumulative incidence of SF was 34.3% at 1 year, 39.0% at 2 years and 50.6% at 3 years. In multivariable analysis, Type 2 and mixed type 1 and 2 MNV were associated (p < 0.001) with a more frequent and rapid development of SF (respectively 85.5% and 81.0% at 1 year, then 95.8% and 93.1% at 3 years) than Types 1 and 3 (respectively 11.3% and 3.6% at 1 year, then 22.9% and 12.7% at 3 years). In Type 2 and mixed type 1 and 2 MNV combined, at baseline a worse BCVA (p = 0.02) and a higher maximal subretinal hyperreflective material (SHRM) thickness (p = 0.005) were associated with SF development at 3 years. In Type 1 MNV, the presence at baseline of intraretinal fluid (IRF) (p = 0.007) or SHRM (p < 0.001) and a higher percentage of visits with IRF (p < 0.001) or with SHRM (p < 0.001) were associated with SF occurrence. For Type 3 MNV, only a higher percentage of visits with SHRM (p = 0.001) was associated with SF. Including all MNV subtypes, eyes with a worse BCVA at baseline were associated with SF development (p < 0.001). Conversely, presence of SF at 3 years was associated with a worse baseline BCVA (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION Occurrence of SF differs when considering apart MNV subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott Lenhof
- Ophthalmology Department, Croix-Rousse University Hospital, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Laurent Kodjikian
- Ophthalmology Department, Croix-Rousse University Hospital, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
- MATEIS Laboratory, UMR-CNRS 5510, INSA, University of Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France
- University of Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
| | - Pierre Gascon
- Ophthalmology Department, Aix-Marseille University, Hôpital Nord, Marseille, France
- Timone Neuroscience Institute, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France
| | - Etienne Gadiollet
- Ophthalmology Department, Croix-Rousse University Hospital, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Audrey Feldman
- LEO Eye Center, Hôpital Privé de l'Est Lyonnais, Saint-Priest, France
| | - Flore De Bats
- Pôle Vision, Clinique du Val d'Ouest, Ecully, France
| | | | - Pierre Pradat
- Clinical Research Center, Croix-Rousse University Hospital, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Thibaud Mathis
- Ophthalmology Department, Croix-Rousse University Hospital, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
- MATEIS Laboratory, UMR-CNRS 5510, INSA, University of Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, France
- University of Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
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Heloterä H, Siintamo L, Kivinen N, Abrahamsson N, Aaltonen V, Kaarniranta K. Analysis of prognostic and predictive factors in neovascular age-related macular degeneration Kuopio cohort. Acta Ophthalmol 2024; 102:703-713. [PMID: 38598664 DOI: 10.1111/aos.16681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of the study was to explore factors affecting the progression of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and identify predictive factors that can estimate the duration of intravitreal treatments. METHODS This retrospective real-world study included 421 nAMD patients treated at the Kuopio University Hospital during years 2007-2021. The collected data included background demographics, treatment history, visual acuity and retinal biomarker analysis. Impact of baseline factors on age at diagnosis, treatment duration, received treatment intensity and visual acuity gains were analysed. RESULTS Heavy smoking and high body mass index (BMI) were associated with an earlier onset, while the use of anticoagulation and anti-aggregation medication were associated with a later onset of nAMD. A low number of injections during the first year of treatment and the presence of intraretinal fluid (IRF) at baseline were associated with shorter treatment duration. Interestingly, when IRF only patients were compared to subretinal fluid (SRF) only patients, IRF patients showed higher occurrences of subretinal drusenoid deposits (43.5% vs. 15%, p = 0.04). In addition, when all patients with IRF were compared to SRF only patients, more hyperreflective foci (HRF) and complete RPE and outer retinal atrophy (cRORA; 20.7% vs. 5%, p = 0.02) were observed in patients with IRF. CONCLUSIONS Our results reveal that heavy smoking and high BMI are accelerating factors for earlier emergence of nAMD, while the presence of IRF results in a fast-progressing disease. More intriguingly, the link between IRF and appearance of subretinal drusenoid deposits, HRF, and increased retinal atrophy was observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Heloterä
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Leea Siintamo
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Niko Kivinen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
| | | | - Vesa Aaltonen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Kai Kaarniranta
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
- Department of Ophthalmology, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
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Sun J, Song Y, Gong Y, Tao L, Wang H, Shu X, Wen Y, Cui L, Ye J, Lu S, Deng J, Li H, Xu Y, Qian L, Wu Z, Bi Y, Liu Q, Xu X, Wu M, Zhang J, Hao J, Tong J, Dai H, Wang F, Zhao M, Mao J, Li C, He T, Pei C, Liu X, Wang X, Li M, Wang W, Zheng Q, Guan H, Peng H, Fan K, Zhang W, Zhu D, Yu S, Wei W, Ding L, Li J, Lu P, Yan M, Liu W, Jia H, Sun X. Efficacy and safety of efdamrofusp alfa versus aflibercept in participants with neovascular age-related macular degeneration: a randomized, double-masked, active-controlled, non-inferiority, phase 2 trial. Ophthalmol Retina 2024:S2468-6530(24)00401-9. [PMID: 39214250 DOI: 10.1016/j.oret.2024.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 08/20/2024] [Accepted: 08/21/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE To evaluate efficacy and safety of efdamrofusp alfa compared with aflibercept in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). DESIGN Randomized, double-masked, multicenter, active-controlled, non-inferiority phase 2 study PARTICIPANTS: A total of 231 treatment-naïve and previously treated participants with active choroidal neovascularization secondary to nAMD were enrolled. METHODS Eligible participants were randomized (1:1:1) to 2 mg efdamrofusp alfa, 4 mg efdamrofusp alfa or 2 mg aflibercept groups. Participants in all groups received three initial monthly loading doses, followed by treatment every 8 weeks with assessment every 4 weeks up to week 52. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary endpoint was the mean BCVA change from baseline to week 36. The pre-specified noninferiority margin was set as -5 letters (80% CI). RESULTS Each treatment group included 77 participants. The mean BCVA changes from baseline to week 36 for 2 mg efdamrofusp alfa, 4 mg efdamrofusp alfa and aflibercept groups were +10.6, +11.4, +12.0 letters, respectively; Least Squares (LS) mean difference were -1.4 (80% CI: -3.5 to 0.7) between 2 mg efdamrofusp alfa and aflibercept, and -0.6 (80% CI: -2.7 to 1.6) between 4 mg efdamrofusp alfa and aflibercept. Mean central retinal thickness changes were consistent across groups. Adverse event rate was comparable among the groups. CONCLUSIONS Efdamrofusp alfa demonstrated noninferiority to aflibercept in BCVA improvement, accompanied by a similar safety profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junran Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; National Clinical Research Center for Ophthalmic Diseases, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Fundus Diseases, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanping Song
- Department of Ophthalmology, General Hospital of Central Theater Command
| | - Yuanyuan Gong
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; National Clinical Research Center for Ophthalmic Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Liming Tao
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Hospital of Anhui Medical University
| | - Hong Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; National Clinical Research Center for Ophthalmic Diseases, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiangwen Shu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Jinan Second People's Hospital
| | - Ying Wen
- The Eye Hospital Affiliated to Shandong Traditional Chinese Medicine University
| | - Ling Cui
- Department of Ophthalmology, The People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
| | - Jian Ye
- Department of Ophthalmology, Army Medical Center of PLA
| | - Shujie Lu
- Innovent Biologics, Inc., Suzhou, China
| | | | - Haoyu Li
- Innovent Biologics, Inc., Suzhou, China
| | - Yihua Xu
- Innovent Biologics, Inc., Suzhou, China
| | - Lei Qian
- Innovent Biologics, Inc., Suzhou, China
| | - Zhifeng Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Jiangnan University Medical Center
| | - Yanlong Bi
- Department of Ophthalmology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji University
| | - Qinghuai Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Jiangsu Province Hospital
| | - Xiangzhong Xu
- The Affiliated Eye Hospital of Nanjing Medical University
| | - Miaoqin Wu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital
| | | | - Jilong Hao
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Bethune Hospital of Jinlin University
| | - Jianping Tong
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine
| | - Hong Dai
- Department of Ophthalmology, Beijing Hospital
| | - Feng Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University
| | - MingWei Zhao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University People's Hospital
| | - Junfeng Mao
- Department of Ophthalmology, Xiangya Hospital Central South University
| | - Chaopeng Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Huai'an First People's Hospital
| | - Tao He
- Department of Ophthalmology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University
| | - Cheng Pei
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University
| | - Xiaoling Liu
- National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Diseases, Eye Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University
| | - Xian Wang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University
| | - Mingxin Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University
| | | | | | - Huaijin Guan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University
| | - Hui Peng
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University
| | - Ke Fan
- Henan Provincial Eye Hospital
| | - Wenfang Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, Lanzhou University Second Hospital
| | - Dan Zhu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Hosptial of Inner Mongolia Medical University
| | - Songping Yu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Lishui Municipal Central hospital
| | - Wenbin Wei
- Department of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Hospital
| | - Lin Ding
- Department of Ophthalmology, Xinjiang UIGER Municipal People's Hospital
| | - Jinying Li
- Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital
| | - Peirong Lu
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University
| | - Ming Yan
- Department of Ophthalmology, General Hospital of Central Theater Command
| | - Wei Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Army Medical Center of PLA
| | - Huixun Jia
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; National Clinical Research Center for Ophthalmic Diseases, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Fundus Diseases, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Xiaodong Sun
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China; National Clinical Research Center for Ophthalmic Diseases, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Key Laboratory of Fundus Diseases, Shanghai, China; Shanghai Engineering Center for Visual Science and Photomedicine, Shanghai, China.
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Armendariz BG, Chakravarthy U. Fibrosis in age-related neovascular macular degeneration in the anti-VEGF era. Eye (Lond) 2024:10.1038/s41433-024-03308-6. [PMID: 39198703 DOI: 10.1038/s41433-024-03308-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 08/15/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024] Open
Abstract
The natural history of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) leads to scarring and loss of vision. Since the advent of anti-VEGF therapies, which are very effective for controlling exudation, large disciform scars are rarely encountered in the clinic. However long term studies show that smaller and less severe fibrotic scars are not uncommon and develop over time despite optimal treatment. This means that additional mechanisms of action may be required to completely address this condition. To permit new treatments, a proper understanding of the clinical impact of fibrosis is required. This review is focused on clinical aspects of fibrosis and summarises recent data on biomarkers, prevalence, causes, consequences, and therapies, highlighting the most important and urgent topics to tackle in order to advance in the treatment of fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz G Armendariz
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, 124 Grenzacherstrasse, 4058, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Usha Chakravarthy
- Honorary and Emerita Professor of Ophthalmology, Queens University of Belfast, Belfast, UK.
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Forte P, Fontana V, Muzio J, Di Cello L, Corazza P, Rosa R, Musetti D, Vagge A, Traverso CE, Nicolò M. Predictors of 24-month onset of macular fibrosis in type 3 macular neovascularisation. Br J Ophthalmol 2024; 108:1240-1248. [PMID: 38290807 DOI: 10.1136/bjo-2023-324713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
AIMS To explore prognostic multimarker models for progression to macular fibrosis (MF) over 24 months specific to type 3 macular neovascularisation (T3 MNV). METHODS This retrospective, exploratory, single-centre, cohort study comprised 65 eyes of 43 Caucasian patients with treatment naive T3 MNV, all with a 24-month follow-up post anti-VEGF therapy using a strict pro-re-nata (PRN) regimen. Data on demographic features, clinical findings, frequency of intravitreal treatments and optical coherence tomography biomarkers were collected at baseline and after 12 and 24 months of follow-up. Logistic regression models (LRM) and receiver-operating curve (C-index) analyses were performed to evaluate the prognostic ability of the studied biomarkers in discriminating between MF affected and unaffected patients. RESULTS At final follow-up, MF was present in 46.2% of eyes. Subretinal hyper-reflective material (SHRM) and subretinal pigment epithelium multilaminar hyper-reflectivity (multilaminae) emerged as significant predictors for MF, with adjusted odds ratios (OR) of 18.0 (95% CL 13.4 to 24.1) and 11.8 (95% CL 8.66 to 16.0), respectively. Additionally, the presence of multifocal lesions (OR 0.04, 95% CL 0.01 to 0.30) appeared to decrease the likelihood of MF. C-indexes for the selected LRMs ranged between 0.92 and 0.88, indicating a comparably high discriminant ability. Despite consistent treatment schedules between the two groups (MF: median intravitreal treatment (IVT) number=10.5, IQR=7; non-MF: median IVT=10, IQR=6), a decline in best-corrected visual acuity was noted in the group with MF onset over the 24-month follow-up (-13.0 ETDRS letters; 95% CL -22.1 to -3.9; p=0.006). CONCLUSION Our study identifies SHRM and multilaminae as relevant predictors of 24-month onset of MF in patients with T3 MNV. These findings enrich our understanding of the development of MF in T3 MNV and can guide improved risk prognostication. Future research should consider larger samples and prospective designs to validate these predictors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Forte
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Eye Unit, Genoa, Italy
- DINOGMI, Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, riabilitazione, oftalmologia, genetica e scienze materno-infantili, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Fontana
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Genoa, Italy
| | - Julia Muzio
- DINOGMI, Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, riabilitazione, oftalmologia, genetica e scienze materno-infantili, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Luca Di Cello
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Eye Unit, Genoa, Italy
| | - Paolo Corazza
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Eye Unit, Genoa, Italy
- DINOGMI, Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, riabilitazione, oftalmologia, genetica e scienze materno-infantili, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Raffaella Rosa
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Eye Unit, Genoa, Italy
- DINOGMI, Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, riabilitazione, oftalmologia, genetica e scienze materno-infantili, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Donatella Musetti
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Eye Unit, Genoa, Italy
- DINOGMI, Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, riabilitazione, oftalmologia, genetica e scienze materno-infantili, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Aldo Vagge
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Eye Unit, Genoa, Italy
- DINOGMI, Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, riabilitazione, oftalmologia, genetica e scienze materno-infantili, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Carlo Enrico Traverso
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Eye Unit, Genoa, Italy
- DINOGMI, Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, riabilitazione, oftalmologia, genetica e scienze materno-infantili, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Massimo Nicolò
- IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Eye Unit, Genoa, Italy
- DINOGMI, Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, riabilitazione, oftalmologia, genetica e scienze materno-infantili, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
- Macula Onlus Foundation, Genoa, Italy
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de la Fuente J, Llorente-González S, Fernandez-Robredo P, Hernandez M, García-Layana A, Ochoa I, Recalde S. Suitability of machine learning for atrophy and fibrosis development in neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Acta Ophthalmol 2024; 102:e831-e841. [PMID: 38131161 DOI: 10.1111/aos.16616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To assess the suitability of machine learning (ML) techniques in predicting the development of fibrosis and atrophy in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), receiving anti-VEGF treatment over a 36-month period. METHODS An extensive analysis was conducted on the use of ML to predict fibrosis and atrophy development on nAMD patients at 36 months from start of anti-VEGF treatment, using only data from the first 12 months. We use data collected according to real-world practice, which includes clinical and genetic factors. RESULTS The ML analysis consistently identified ETDRS as a relevant factor for predicting the development of atrophy and fibrosis, confirming previous statistical analyses. Also, it was shown that genetic variables did not demonstrate statistical relevance in the prediction. Despite the complexity of predicting macular degeneration, our model was able to obtain a balance accuracy of 63% and an AUC of 0.72 when predicting the development of atrophy or fibrosis at 36 months. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates the potential of ML techniques in predicting the development of fibrosis and atrophy in nAMD patients receiving long-term anti-VEGF treatment. The findings highlight the importance of clinical factors, particularly ETDRS (early treatment diabetic retinopathy study) visual acuity test, in predicting these outcomes. The lessons learned from this research can guide future ML-based prediction tasks in the field of ophthalmology and contribute to the design of data collection processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesus de la Fuente
- Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, School of Engineering (Tecnun), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Center for Data Science, New York University, New York City, New York, USA
| | - Sara Llorente-González
- Retinal Pathologies and New Therapies Group, Experimental Ophthalmology Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology, Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Navarra Institute for Health Research, IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain
- Thematic Network of Cooperative Health Research in Eye Diseases (Oftared), Health Institute Carlos III (ISCIII), Department of Ophthalmology, Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Patricia Fernandez-Robredo
- Retinal Pathologies and New Therapies Group, Experimental Ophthalmology Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology, Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Navarra Institute for Health Research, IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain
- Thematic Network of Cooperative Health Research in Eye Diseases (Oftared), Health Institute Carlos III (ISCIII), Department of Ophthalmology, Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - María Hernandez
- Retinal Pathologies and New Therapies Group, Experimental Ophthalmology Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology, Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Navarra Institute for Health Research, IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain
- Thematic Network of Cooperative Health Research in Eye Diseases (Oftared), Health Institute Carlos III (ISCIII), Department of Ophthalmology, Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Alfredo García-Layana
- Retinal Pathologies and New Therapies Group, Experimental Ophthalmology Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology, Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Navarra Institute for Health Research, IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain
- Thematic Network of Cooperative Health Research in Eye Diseases (Oftared), Health Institute Carlos III (ISCIII), Department of Ophthalmology, Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Idoia Ochoa
- Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, School of Engineering (Tecnun), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Institute for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DATAI), University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Sergio Recalde
- Retinal Pathologies and New Therapies Group, Experimental Ophthalmology Laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology, Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Navarra Institute for Health Research, IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain
- Thematic Network of Cooperative Health Research in Eye Diseases (Oftared), Health Institute Carlos III (ISCIII), Department of Ophthalmology, Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
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9
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Xu H, Yi C, Chen M. The complement pathway as a therapeutic target for neovascular age-related macular degeneration-mediated subretinal fibrosis. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2024; 76:102448. [PMID: 38555699 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2024.102448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly in developed countries. Intravitreal injection of VEGF inhibitors is the mainstream therapy for nAMD, although nearly 50% of the patients do not respond or respond poorly to the therapy. One of the main reasons for the poor outcome of the therapy is the development of subretinal macular fibrosis, a process of excessive deposition of extracellular matrix proteins around the diseased blood vessels. Currently, there is no medication to prevent or treat the condition. Here, we discussed recent advances in the pathogenesis of nAMD-mediated macular fibrosis, with a focus on the role of the complement system. We further proposed approaches to target the complement system for the management of macular fibrosis and highlighted the area of further research for future clinical applications of complement-based therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heping Xu
- Changsha Aier Eye Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China; Aier Eye Institute, Aier Academy of Ophthalmology, Central South University, Hunan, China; The Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, United Kingdom.
| | - Caijiao Yi
- Changsha Aier Eye Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China; Aier Eye Institute, Aier Academy of Ophthalmology, Central South University, Hunan, China; Changsha Xiangjiang Aier Eye Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Mei Chen
- The Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, United Kingdom.
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10
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Mares V, Nehemy MB, Bogunovic H, Frank S, Reiter GS, Schmidt-Erfurth U. AI-based support for optical coherence tomography in age-related macular degeneration. Int J Retina Vitreous 2024; 10:31. [PMID: 38589936 PMCID: PMC11000391 DOI: 10.1186/s40942-024-00549-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative technology across various fields, and its applications in the medical domain, particularly in ophthalmology, has gained significant attention. The vast amount of high-resolution image data, such as optical coherence tomography (OCT) images, has been a driving force behind AI growth in this field. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes for blindness in the world, affecting approximately 196 million people worldwide in 2020. Multimodal imaging has been for a long time the gold standard for diagnosing patients with AMD, however, currently treatment and follow-up in routine disease management are mainly driven by OCT imaging. AI-based algorithms have by their precision, reproducibility and speed, the potential to reliably quantify biomarkers, predict disease progression and assist treatment decisions in clinical routine as well as academic studies. This review paper aims to provide a summary of the current state of AI in AMD, focusing on its applications, challenges, and prospects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia Mares
- Laboratory for Ophthalmic Image Analysis, Department of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Ophthalmology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Marcio B Nehemy
- Department of Ophthalmology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Hrvoje Bogunovic
- Laboratory for Ophthalmic Image Analysis, Department of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sophie Frank
- Laboratory for Ophthalmic Image Analysis, Department of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gregor S Reiter
- Laboratory for Ophthalmic Image Analysis, Department of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ursula Schmidt-Erfurth
- Laboratory for Ophthalmic Image Analysis, Department of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
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11
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Deng W, Yi C, Pan W, Liu J, Qi J, Chen J, Zhou Z, Duan Y, Ning X, Li J, Ye C, Chen Z, Xu H. Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 (VCAM-1) contributes to macular fibrosis in neovascular age-related macular degeneration through modulating macrophage functions. Immun Ageing 2023; 20:65. [PMID: 37985993 PMCID: PMC10659061 DOI: 10.1186/s12979-023-00389-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) is a major cause of blindness in the elderly. The disease is due to the growth of abnormal blood vessels into the macula, leading to the loss of central vision. Intravitreal injection of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors (e.g., anti-VEGF) is the standard of care for nAMD. However, nearly 50% of patients do not respond or respond poorly to the therapy. More importantly, up to 70% of nAMD patients develop macular fibrosis after 10 years of anti-VEGF therapy. The underlying mechanism of nAMD-mediated macular fibrosis is unknown although inflammation is known to play an important role in the development of abnormal macular blood vessels and its progression to fibro-vascular membrane. In this study, we measured the intraocular levels of adhesion molecule VCAM-1, ICAM-1, CD44, CD62L, and CD62P in nAMD patients with and without macular fibrosis and investigated the link between the levels of adhesion molecule and clinical features (e.g., visual improvement, retinal thickness, etc.). We further investigated the effect of VCAM-1 in macrophage function in vitro and the development of subretinal fibrosis in vivo using a two-stage laser-induced protocol. RESULTS The aqueous levels of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, CD44, and CD62L were significantly higher in nAMD patients compared to cataract controls. The aqueous level of VCAM-1 (but not other adhesion molecules) was significantly higher in patients with macular fibrosis than those without and the level correlated positively with the retinal thickness. VCAM-1 was highly expressed at the lesion site in the mouse model of subretinal fibrosis. Blocking VCAM-1 or its receptor VLA-4 significantly prevented macrophage infiltration and reduced subretinal fibrosis in vivo. VCAM-1 induced macrophage migration and upregulated the expression of Arg-1, Mmp12 and Il6 but down-regulated the expression of iNOS and Il1b in macrophages. CONCLUSIONS VCAM-1 may contribute to the development of macular fibrosis in nAMD patients by modulating macrophage functions, including migration and profibrotic polarization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Deng
- Aier School of Ophthalmology, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Aier Institute of Optometry and Vision Science, Changsha, China
| | - Caijiao Yi
- Aier Institute of Optometry and Vision Science, Changsha, China
| | - Wei Pan
- Aier Institute of Optometry and Vision Science, Changsha, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Aier Institute of Optometry and Vision Science, Changsha, China
| | - Jinyan Qi
- Aier School of Ophthalmology, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Aier Institute of Optometry and Vision Science, Changsha, China
| | - Juan Chen
- Changsha Aier Eye Hospital, Changsha, China
| | | | - Yiqin Duan
- Changsha Aier Eye Hospital, Changsha, China
| | | | - Jun Li
- Changsha Aier Eye Hospital, Changsha, China
| | - Changhua Ye
- Aier School of Ophthalmology, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Changsha Aier Eye Hospital, Changsha, China
| | - Zhongping Chen
- Aier School of Ophthalmology, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Changsha Aier Eye Hospital, Changsha, China
| | - Heping Xu
- Aier School of Ophthalmology, Central South University, Changsha, China.
- Aier Institute of Optometry and Vision Science, Changsha, China.
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK.
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12
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Bachmeier I, Armendariz BG, Yu S, Jäger RJ, Ebneter A, Glittenberg C, Pauleikhoff D, Sadda SR, Chakravarthy U, Fauser S. Fibrosis in neovascular age-related macular degeneration: A review of definitions based on clinical imaging. Surv Ophthalmol 2023; 68:835-848. [PMID: 37023894 DOI: 10.1016/j.survophthal.2023.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Despite the success of antiangiogenic therapy in controlling exudation in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), the involvement of the outer retina in fibrosis results in gradual vision loss over time. The development of drugs that prevent or ameliorate fibrosis in nAMD requires that it is accurately detected and quantified with reliable endpoints and identification of robust biomarkers. Achievement of such an aim is currently challenging due to the lack of a consensus definition of fibrosis in nAMD. As a first step towards the establishment of a clear definition of fibrosis, we provide an extensive overview of the imaging modalities and criteria used to characterize fibrosis in nAMD. We observed variety in the selection of individual and combinations of imaging modalities, and criteria for detection. We also observed heterogeneity in classification systems and severity scales for fibrosis. The most commonly used imaging modalities were color fundus photography, fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography (OCT). A multimodal approach was frequently utilized. Our review suggests that OCT offers a more detailed, objective and sensitive characterization than color fundus photography/fluorescein angiography. Thus, we recommend it as a primary modality for fibrosis evaluation. This review provides a basis for future discussions to reach a consensus definition using standardized terms based on a detailed characterization of fibrosis, its presence and evolution, and taking into consideration impact on visual function. Achieving this goal is of paramount importance for the development of antifibrotic therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Bachmeier
- Pharma Research and Early Development, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., 4070 Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Beatriz G Armendariz
- Pharma Research and Early Development, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Siqing Yu
- Pharma Research and Early Development, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ralf J Jäger
- Pharma Research and Early Development, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Ebneter
- Department of Ophthalmology, Cantonal Hospital St. Gallen, University of Bern, Switzerland
| | - Carl Glittenberg
- Pharma Research and Early Development, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - SriniVas R Sadda
- Doheny Eye Institute, University of California-Los Angeles, Pasadena, 91103 CA, USA
| | - Usha Chakravarthy
- Queens University of Belfast, Institute of Clinical Science Block A, Belfast, UK
| | - Sascha Fauser
- Pharma Research and Early Development, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., 4070 Basel, Switzerland
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13
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Fouad YA. Correspondence. Retina 2023; 43:e46-e47. [PMID: 37098254 DOI: 10.1097/iae.0000000000003817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Yousef A Fouad
- Department of Ophthalmology, Ain Shams University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt
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14
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Haji H, Gianniou C, Brynskov T, Sørensen TL, Olsen R, Krogh Nielsen M. Association between structural and functional treatment outcomes in neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Acta Ophthalmol 2023; 101:177-184. [PMID: 36036674 DOI: 10.1111/aos.15233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The administration frequency of intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) have been widely discussed. The primary objective of the study was to explore the association between anatomical outcomes and changes in functional outcome. METHODS This was a retrospective cohort study of patients with newly diagnosed neovascular AMD with a minimum of 12 months of follow-up. Only one eye per patient was included. Patients were treated according to the observe-and-plan or the pro-re-nata regimen. All patients were regularly examined from the time of diagnosis up to 24 months. The effect of intraretinal fluid (IRF), subretinal fluid (SRF) and pigment epithelium detachment (PED) at any time point on visual acuity (VA) was tested, as well as the long-term effect and the risk of losing VA. Further, the variability of central retinal thickness (CRT) was calculated for each eyes' individual measures during the observation period, excluding the monthly loading phase. The prognostic effect of each factor on VA was estimated by regression analysis. The primary outcome measure was VA, which was correlated with the presence or absence of fluid, seen as IRF, SRF or PED. RESULTS A total of 504 treatment naïve eyes from 504 patients was included. The presence of IRF was associated with lower VA at all visits (p < 0.001). However, the presence of SRF or PED was not significantly associated with worse VA at any time point during the observation period. Patients in the upper quartile of CRT variance had a greater loss in VA after 12 and 24 months (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS In this retrospective cohort study, the presence of intraretinal fluid was associated with poorer visual outcome in neovascular AMD patients treated with anti-VEGF, but the presence of subretinal fluid and PEDs was not. This suggests that IRF is worse than subretinal fluid and PEDs for AMD outcomes and therefore requires the most intensive treatment. Further, we found that patients with the highest CRT variability during the study period had poorer visual outcomes after 12 and 24 months, indicating that stringent control of retinal fluid volume fluctuations is important to prevent visual acuity decline over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hauraz Haji
- Department of Ophthalmology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Christina Gianniou
- Department of Ophthalmology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Troels Brynskov
- Department of Ophthalmology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Torben L Sørensen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark.,Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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15
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Cheong KX, Cheung CMG, Teo KYC. Review of Fibrosis in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Am J Ophthalmol 2023; 246:192-222. [PMID: 36162537 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajo.2022.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To report the diagnosis and definitions, epidemiology, risk factors, and visual outcomes of fibrosis in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). DESIGN Systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS The review was performed using the Cochrane Handbook and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Observational studies and randomized controlled trials were included. RESULTS Identification of fibrosis is challenging. Optical coherence tomography angiography and polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography represent novel options in multimodal imaging. The prevalence of fibrosis at baseline, 12, 24, and 60 months was 13%, 32%, 36%, and 56%, respectively. Approximately 60% of the fibrosis burden in nAMD at 5 years was present in the first year of treatment. Fibrosis development was highest in the first 12 months and slowed down over time. The risk factors of fibrosis included classic choroidal neovascularization (CNV), intra-retinal fluid, hemorrhage, hyperreflective material, CNV lesion size, and retinal thickness. Sub-retinal fluid and pigment epithelial detachment may be protective. Treatment-associated factors included disease activity and time to diagnosis. At baseline, the best corrected visual acuity in eyes with fibrosis was poorer than in eyes without fibrosis (-18.50 letters); this difference became larger at 12 months despite treatment (-26.86 letters). CONCLUSIONS There is a need to identify effective treatment strategies for fibrosis and to closely monitor at-risk patients. More studies involving multimodal imaging are required to clarify the definitions and grading criteria for fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Xiong Cheong
- From Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore (K.X.C, C.M.G.C, K.Y.C.T)
| | - Chui Ming Gemmy Cheung
- From Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore (K.X.C, C.M.G.C, K.Y.C.T); Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences Academic Clinical Program (Eye ACP), Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore (C.M.G.C, K.Y.C.T)
| | - Kelvin Yi Chong Teo
- From Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Singapore (K.X.C, C.M.G.C, K.Y.C.T); Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences Academic Clinical Program (Eye ACP), Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore (C.M.G.C, K.Y.C.T).
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16
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Sánchez‐Monroy J, Nguyen V, Puzo M, Calvo P, Arruabarrena C, Monaco P, Chilov M, Keegan D, Barthelmes D, Gillies M. Subretinal fluid may protect against macular atrophy in neovascular age‐related macular degeneration: 5 years of follow‐up from Fight Retinal Blindness registry. Acta Ophthalmol 2022; 101:457-464. [PMID: 36536538 DOI: 10.1111/aos.15309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of the study was to assess the association of macular atrophy (MA) according to the activity of macular neovascularization (MNV) (inactive, only subretinal fluid [SRFL], or active, i.e. including intraretinal fluid [IRFL]) using optical coherence tomography (OCT) in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). METHODS Multicentric observational study. Treatment-naïve nAMD eyes without subfoveal MA or subretinal fibrosis (SF) at baseline were included since 1st January 2010 and 30th September 2016 to allow up to 5 years of treatment follow-up. Eyes were grouped based on their predominant activity status as: (1) mostly inactive, (2) mostly active non-SRFL only [IRFL] or (3) mostly active-SRFL only [onlySRFL]. Kaplan-Meier survival curves estimated the time to development of MA or SF. Cox proportional hazards models evaluated predictors of developing subfoveal MA or SF. The main outcome measure was the risk of developing MA according to predominant MNV activity. RESULTS A total of 973 eyes were eligible for analysis. OnlySRFL eyes had lower risk of developing subfoveal MA (HR [95% CI]: 0.56 [0.36, 0.88]; p = 0.024) and extrafoveal MA (HR [95% CI]: 0.41 [0.27, 0.61]; p < 0.001) than IRFL eyes. IRFL eyes had lower visual acuity (VA) (54.5 letters) and the highest proportion of eyes with vision ≤35 letters (25%) at 5 years while onlySRFL eyes had comparable 5-year VA (63.7 letters) to inactive eyes (63.7 letters). CONCLUSION Subretinal fluid appears to protect against MA. Distinguishing the compartment of retinal fluid and understanding its relationship with MA and SF can guide the management of nAMD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vuong Nguyen
- Discipline of Ophthalmology Save Sight Institute, the University of Sydney, Sydney Medical School Sydney Australia
| | - Martin Puzo
- Department of Ophthalmology Miguel Servet University Hospital Zaragoza Spain
| | - Pilar Calvo
- Department of Ophthalmology Miguel Servet University Hospital Zaragoza Spain
| | | | - Pietro Monaco
- Department of Ophthalmology San Martino Hospital Belluno Italy
| | - Michael Chilov
- Department of Ophthalmology Concord Repatriation Hospital Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | | | - Daniel Barthelmes
- Discipline of Ophthalmology Save Sight Institute, the University of Sydney, Sydney Medical School Sydney Australia
- Department of Ophthalmology Zurich, University Hospital Zurich University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
| | - Mark Gillies
- Discipline of Ophthalmology Save Sight Institute, the University of Sydney, Sydney Medical School Sydney Australia
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17
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Neovascular age-related macular degeneration in which exudation predominantly occurs as a subretinal fluid during anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3167. [PMID: 35210516 PMCID: PMC8873256 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07108-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
We investigated the characteristics of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in which exudation predominantly occurs as a subretinal fluid (SRF) during anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment. A total of 509 treatment-naïve neovascular AMD patients treated with anti-VEGF for 24 months were retrospectively analyzed. The baseline characteristics to determine the odds of occurrence of SRF alone were evaluated using multivariate modeling. SRF was the sole manifestation of lesion activity in 209 (40.9%) eyes during follow-up. The visual outcome of eyes with only SRF occurrence during follow-up was comparable to that of eyes without exudative recurrence. In addition, the incidence of macular atrophy was significantly lower in eyes with only SRF occurrence (9.6%, 20 of 208 eyes) than in eyes without exudative recurrence (16.7%, 9 of 54 eyes, P = 0.018). Multivariate analysis revealed that better best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at baseline (odds ratio [OR], 0.306; P = 0.001), presence of SRF alone at baseline (OR, 5.256; P < 0.001), lower pigment epithelial detachment (PED) height (less than 100 µm; OR, 4.113; P = 0.025), and aneurysmal type 1 macular neovascularization (MNV) (OR, 2.594; P = 0.002) were associated with an increased likelihood of SRF occurrence during follow-up. In conclusion, the eyes with only SRF occurrence during anti-VEGF treatment showed more favorable visual outcomes and a lower incidence of macular atrophy. The baseline characteristics, including better baseline BCVA, presence of SRF alone at baseline, lower PED height, and MNV subtype, might influence the predominant development of SRF during anti-VEGF treatment.
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18
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Reiter GS, Schmidt-Erfurth U. Quantitative assessment of retinal fluid in neovascular age-related macular degeneration under anti-VEGF therapy. Ther Adv Ophthalmol 2022; 14:25158414221083363. [PMID: 35340749 PMCID: PMC8949734 DOI: 10.1177/25158414221083363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The retinal world has been revolutionized by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy. The numbers of intravitreal injections are on a constant rise and management in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) is mainly driven by the qualitative assessment of macular fluid as detected on OCT scans. The presence of macular fluid, particularly subretinal fluid (SRF) and intraretinal fluid (IRF), has been used to trigger re-treatments in clinical trials and the real world. However, large discrepancies can be found between the evaluations of different readers or experts and especially small amounts of macular fluid might be missed during this process. Pixel-wise detection of macular fluid uses an entire OCT volume to calculate exact volumes of retinal fluid. While manual annotations of such pixel-wise fluid detection are unfeasible in a clinical setting, artificial intelligence (AI) is able to overcome this hurdle by providing real-time results of macular fluid in different retinal compartments. Quantitative fluid assessments have been used for various post hoc analyses of randomized controlled trials, providing novel insights into anti-VEGF treatment regimens. Nonetheless, the application of AI-algorithms in a prospective patient care setting is still limited. In this review, we discuss the use of quantitative fluid assessment in nAMD during anti-VEGF therapy and provide an outlook to novel forms of patient care with the support of AI quantifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregor S Reiter
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Ophthalmic Image Analysis, Department of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Medical University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ursula Schmidt-Erfurth
- Christian Doppler Laboratory for Ophthalmic Image Analysis, Department of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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