Abstract
Purpose: :
Intravitreal anti vascular epithelial growth factor (Anti-VEGF) therapy has become a first choice treatment for neovascular age-related macula degeneration (AMD) over the past years. The stabilizing effect of Anti-VEGF therapy on visual acuity has been shown in several studies. However, only little data on certain subtypes of exudative AMD has been published yet. Aim of this study was to investigate the effect of intravitreal Ranibizumab on neovascular AMD with retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP).
Methods: :
Sixteen eyes of 16 patients with RAP lesions were examined at baseline and at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 months after the first treatment with intravitreal Ranibizumab. Each time, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central 1mm retinal thickness (CRT) were assessed and slit-lamp funduscopy was performed. Fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography were performed at baseline, 3 and 6 months. The decision for retreatment was made by the examiner based on the changes in visual acuity and on optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings.
Results: :
There was a significant increase in mean BCVA between baseline (0.27) and month 1 (0.40; p < 0.05) which remained stable up to month 6. There was a significant decrease in CRT between baseline (297 µm) and month 3 (199 µm; p < 0.05), however, not between baseline and month 6 (p > 0.05).
Conclusions: :
In our study, treatment of RAP lesions with intravitreal Ranibizumab led to a persisting increase in mean visual acuity. Thus, intravitreal therapy with anti-VEGF agents seems to be effective in treating this aggressive form of neovascular AMD.
Clinical Trial: :
MUW EK2007
Keywords: neovascularization • age-related macular degeneration