Abstract
Purpose :
Controversy exist regarding the effects of treatment of neovascular (NV) age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on choroidal thickness (CT). We performed a cross sectional study to investigate the possible differences in choroidal thickness (CT) between the treated NV eyes and the untreated non-NV (NNV) eyes of patients with unilateral NV AMD.
Methods :
A total of 164 eyes of 82 consecutive patients were selected from an ongoing prospective cohort study of patients with unilateral NV AMD. Patients had a mean age of 74.5 years (standard deviation [SD] 7.7) and 51/82 were female. Patients had to have unilateral NV AMD for which they received anti-VEGF treatment (currently or in the past). Two researchers (FT and FC) independently measured CT on spectral domain enhanced-depth imaging optical coherence tomography images using the calliper function in Heidelberg Eye Explorer (version 2.6.4.0, Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany). CT was measured at the fovea as well as 1500 µm and 3000 µm from the fovea in both the temporal and nasal direction. Interclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and Bland-Altman plots were calculated to check for intergrader reliability. The average value of the two measurements was then used. Differences between CT in NV and NNV eyes were assessed using a paired-samples T-test. Associations of CT with variables of interest were assessed through Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis.
Results :
ICC was above 0.941 across all measurement points. Bland-Altman plots revealed no intergrader bias. Average CT (SD) was 223.4 (107.8)µm and 233.4 (109.4)µm for NNV and NV eyes, respectively (P = .16). Age was significantly but weakly correlated with subfoveal thickness with a correlation coefficient of -.258 (P =.019). The amount of injections was not associated with CT (correlation coefficient - 0.01, P =.957).
Conclusions :
In this cohort of unilateral AMD patients there appears to be no difference in choroidal thicknesses of NV eyes treated with anti-VEGF compared to the fellow NNV eye.
This abstract was presented at the 2022 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Denver, CO, May 1-4, 2022, and virtually.