Abstract
Purpose:
Ranibizumab has been shown to significantly improve visual and anatomical outcomes in patients with macular oedema due to branch and central retinal vein occlusions (RVOs) in the BRAVO and CRUISE studies respectively. We performed a retrospective case series to determine the efficacy of ranibizumab for treatment-naïve macular oedema secondary to branch, central and hemi RVOs within a foundation trust hospital setting in England, United Kingdom.
Methods:
We isolated 29 treatment-naïve patients receiving ranibizumab (0.5mg) for RVO-related macular oedema (18 branch, 10 central and 1 hemi-RVO). All patients received initial monthly injections, which were continued until the visual acuity (VA) remained stable for 3 consecutive monthly assessments. Retreatment criteria was based on stability of VA and the presence of intraretinal fluid (IRF). The primary outcomes measured were best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), using Early Treatment in Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) acuity testing, and central macular thickness (CMT), evaluated with optical coherence tomography (OCT). Statistical analysis was carried out using the paired t test.
Results:
There was a statistically significant gain in BCVA from baseline to month 1 of 11.65 letters (p=<0.0001, n=29). The CMT was significantly reduced by 216.03μm from baseline to month 1 (p=<0.0001, n=29). At 6 months, a significant gain in BCVA of 10.13 letters (p=0.0015, n= 23), and a significant reduction in CMT of 248.52μm (p=<0.0001, n=23) was maintained. 26.10% of patients gained ≥15 letters at 6 months. The mean number of injections received was 4. There were no ocular or systemic adverse effects reported during the follow-up period.
Conclusions:
Ranibizumab, alone, is a safe and effective treatment for patients with visual impairment due to macular oedema secondary to RVO. Statistically significant improvements in BCVA and CMT were maintained over a 6-month follow-up period.