ONE-YEAR FOLLOW-UP OUTCOMES OF TREATMENT OF WET AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION WITH AFLIBERCEPT.

PURPOSE: To evaluate one-year follow-up outcomes of treatment with aflibercept in patients with newly diagnosed wet age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). METHOD: Retrospective evaluation of treatment of 28 eyes of 28 patients with an average age of 74.2 years who were treated with aflibercept at the Department of Ophthalmology at Královské Vinohrady University Hospital. All patients were treated according to the summary of product characteristics (SPC), i.e. with an initial 3 injections at monthly intervals, followed by 4 injections every 2 months. We evaluated the change in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) on Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) optotypes, and the change of central retinal thickness (CRT) with the aid of optical coherence tomography (OCT). RESULTS: The average initial BCVA value was 61.5 letters of ETDRS optotype. After the initial 3 injections, BCVA improved to 70.5 letters, after one year of treatment there was a slight decrease to 68.1 letters. Better or same visual acuity was recorded in 25 eyes (89.3%), a deterioration occurred in 3 eyes (10.7%). CRT was reduced from an initial average value of 360.9 µm to 253.3 µm after the initial phase and to 233.8 µm after one year of treatment. At the end of the observation period, 25 eyes (89.3%) were without signs of activity of the pathology. No complications of treatment were recorded. CONCLUSION: In our cohort we confirm the efficacy and safety of the aflibercept preparation in patients with newly diagnosed wet form ARMD. By adhering to a fixed therapeutic regime it is possible to obtain similarly excellent results of treatment in real clinical practice as in clinical trials. Key words: aflibercept, anti-VEGF therapy, optical coherence tomography, wet form ARMD The authors of the study declare that no conflict of interest exists in the compilation, theme and subsequent publication of this professional communication, and that it is not supported by any pharmaceuticals company.

Results of the first 12 months treatment of macular edema complicating BRVO in patients treated with ranibizumab.

THE AIM OF THE STUDY: Retrospective evaluation of the first 12 months treatment of macular edema in BRVO with ranibizumab based on anatomical and functional parameters. METHODS: 54 eyes with macular edema complicating BRVO were included in the study, with an average initial best corrected visual acuity 4/16 ETDRS charts, an average central retinal thickness 512.3 µm, and in average 4 months till the beginning of treatment with ranibizumab. After 3 initial injections of 0.5 mg ranibizumab treatment was performed in pro re nata regimen, with adjuvant laser (grid laser photocoagulation) as an additional treatment option.  The number of injections administered, the number of eyes where grid laser photocoagulation was provided, functional parameters as a letter gain and BCVA (eyes with final BCVA ≥ 4/8 ETDRS, final BCVA in according to initial BCVA) and anatomical parameters as a mean CRT and  CRT ≤ 250 µm, respectively ≤ 300 µm were evaluated. RESULTS: In the whole group, an average of 4.8 injections of ranibizumab were administered in the first 12 months. Grid laser photocoagulation was performed in 42 eyes: in 8 eyes prior to the beginning of treatment with ranibizumab, 7 eyes before and during the treatment, 29 eyes only during the treatment. The main gain of letters after 12 months of treatment was +16.5 letters, with 63¨% (n = 34) eyes earning ≥ 15 letters. In the whole group 72 % (n = 39) eyes achieved the resulting BCVA ≥ 4/8 ETDRS after 12 months of treatment. The eyes with initial BCVA ≥ 4/10 ETDRS resulted in BCVA ≥ 4/8 ETDRS in 96 % (n = 23 eyes) and 11 eyes even  achieved BCVA ≥ 4/4. The mean CRT after 12 months of treatment was 290.3 µm, 33.3 %  of eyes had final CRT ≤ 250 µm, and 64.8 % had final CRT ≤ 300 µm. CONCLUSION: When applying a relatively low number of injections in the first year of treatment with ranibizumab, the final best corrected visual acuity was very good at the end of the observation period, and its dependence on the initial best corrected visual acuity was confirmed. Satisfactory results of central retinal thickness were found as well. Key words: branch retinal vein occlusion, macular edema, ranibizuma.