Abstract
Purpose:
To evaluate the efficacy of bimonthly intravitreal injections of ranibizumab for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) over 6 months in a pilot study.
Methods:
This study was prospective, interventional case series. Three bimonthly intravitreal injections of ranibizumab (0.5mg/0.05ml) were given to 21 eyes of 21 patients with neovascular AMD and 9 eyes of 9 patients with PCV. All patients did not receive any previous treatment for AMD. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and the central retinal subfield thickness (CRST) were measured before and monthly after the initial injection for 6 months. The BCVA was measured using a Landolt C chart and the measurements were converted to the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) VA and analyzed. The CRST was measured using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) (Cirrus HD-OCT, Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA). The average retinal thickness in the central 1-mm area was analyzed. As arescue treatment, intravitreal injection of ranibizumab (0.05mg/0.05ml) could be given at month 1, month 3 or month 5 after the initial injection if either logMAR BCVA decreased more than 0.3 or the CRST increased more than 100 μm. Paired t-test or Wilcoxon signed rank sum test was used to compare the differences in the BCVA and CRST before and 6 months after the initial intravitreal injection of ranibizumab.
Results:
Twenty-eight patients received the three planned injections; one patient refused the third injection, one patient did not receive the third injection because blood pressure was raised, and one patient received a rescue injection at month 5 because of increased retinal thickness. The mean logMAR BCVA was 0.44 + 0.37 before treatment and significantly improved to 0.25 + 0.34 at month 6 (P<0.001). The mean CRST was 335 + 85.9 μm before treatment and decreased significantly to 261 + 78.1 μm at month 6 (P<0.001). No ocular adverse event was reported.
Conclusions:
Bimonthly injections of ranibizumab may be effective for treating AMD.
Keywords: 412 age-related macular degeneration •
754 visual acuity