Abstract
Purpose :
Although immunological and inflammatory imbalances have been involved in the development and progression of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the benefit of systemic non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and steroids remains controversial. We performed a secondary analysis of the Comparison of AMD Treatments Trials (CATT) database and evaluated the association between systemic use of NSAIDs and/or steroids and signs of progression of neovascular AMD.
Methods :
A total of 1149 patients were included and divided into four groups according to their anti-inflammatory treatment: “just NSAIDs” (n=474), “just steroids” (n=114), “both” (n=277), “neither” (n=284). The 1-year and 2-year visual acuity (VA) and total area of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) were determined and compared between groups.
Results :
The “just steroids” group presented with higher baseline values for VA and lower total area of CNV lesion, during the 2 years of follow-up. The mean response profiles of VA and total area of CNV lesion were parallel and there was no statistically significant drugclass*time interaction. According to the adjustment analysis, age seems to be an important covariate when analyzing visual acuity and also the total area of CNV lesion, while statins and previous or current smoking did not change the statistical significance.
Conclusions :
We did not find an association between systemic use of anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs or steroids) and the progression of neovascular AMD. However, there was a better outcome in the “just steroids” group regarding visual acuity and total area of CNV lesion.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2016 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, Wash., May 1-5, 2016.