Abstract
Purpose :
To examine the efficacy of intravitreal aflibercept (Eylea) in patients with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) that were previously non-responsive to intravitreal ranibizumab (Lucentis).
Methods :
This was a retrospective, non-comparative, interventional case series. All cases of wet AMD that were previously non-responsive to intravitreal ranibizumab and required switching to intravitreal aflibercept between July 2013 and November 2014 were included in this study.
Results :
During the study period, a total of 90 patients were included. The mean age was 75.5 ± 7.3 years with a female preponderance (64%). The mean follow-up period was 11.8 ± 6.2 months. An average of 13.9 ± 8.3 intravitreal ranibizumab injections were given before switching to intravitreal aflibercept. The baseline best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) on first presentation was 60.9 ± 11.6 letters. The BCVA on switching from ranibizumab to aflibercept was 55.6 ± 14.6 letters, with a mean change of -5.8 letters (p<0.001). At 6-month and 12-month post aflibercept, there was a mean change of +1.3 letters (p=0.17) and -0.3 letters (p=0.82). Inactivity of wet AMD was successfully achieved in 40% (36/90) cases at 6-month post-aflibercept and 38% (20/52) cases at 12-month post-aflibercept. The mean baseline central macular thickness (CMT) pre-aflibercept was 343 ± 127 μm. There was a mean change of -85 μm at 6 months (p<0.001) and -75 μm at 12 months (p<0.001). No complication was noted during the study period.
Conclusions :
Our study demonstrates that aflibercept serves as an effective and safe alternative treatment in wet AMD that was non-responsive to ranibizumab.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2016 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, Wash., May 1-5, 2016.