Ranibizumab Improves Patient-Reported Near and Distance Vision Activities in Patients With Macular Edema Following Retinal Vein Occlusion

Abstract

 

Purpose:

 

To examine the impact of intravitreal ranibizumab (Lucentis®, Genentech, Inc.) on patient-reported visual function using the near and distance activity subscales of the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25 (NEI VFQ-25) through 6 months in patients with macular edema (ME) following retinal vein occlusion (RVO).

 

Methods:

 

Two multicenter, double-masked trials in which participants with ME following branch RVO (BRAVO) or central RVO (CRUISE) were randomized 1:1:1 to monthly sham, 0.3-mg or 0.5-mg monthly injections of ranibizumab, and were followed for 6 months. The NEI VFQ-25 was administered at 0, 1, 3, and 6 months. The near and distance activities subscale scores were calculated.

 

Results:

 

At each dose through 6 months, ranibizumab patients reported greater mean improvements in the near and distance activities subscales compared with sham patients (Table 1). By 6 months the magnitude of these improvements was clinically relevant compared with sham.

 

Conclusions:

 

At 6 months, on average, patients with ME following RVO subsequently treated monthly with ranibizumab reported greater improvements in near and distance activities (includes measures of ability to read the newspaper, read street signs, and recognize people from a distance) compared with those who were sham treated.  

 

Clinical Trial:

 

www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT00486018 and NCT00485836

 

Keywords: quality of life • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: treatment/prevention assessment/controlled clinical trials