AFLIBERCEPT FOR THE TREATMENT OF RETINAL PIGMENT EPITHELIAL DETACHMENTS.

Abstract

To compare anatomical and visual acuity outcomes of eyes with persistent pigment epithelial detachments (PEDs) secondary to exudative age-related macular degeneration despite ranibizumab or bevacizumab treatment. After institutional review board approval, 40 eyes with PEDs switched from ranibizumab or bevacizumab to intravitreal aflibercept were compared for logMAR visual acuity, central subfield thickness on spectral domain optical coherence tomography, and PED height. Using paired t-tests, these parameters at baseline, after 3 consecutive injections, and 1 year after the switch were compared. Baseline visions of 20/61 ± 3.99 lines declined after 3 injections with aflibercept by 0.39 ± 2.43 lines (P = 0.32) and continued to fall after 1 year by 1.27 ± 3.48 lines (P = 0.03). Central subfield thickness was reduced after 3 injections (9.1 ± 52.0 μm, P = 0.27) and after 1 year (24.4 ± 55.3 μm, P = 0.01). The height of PEDs decreased by 31.7 ± 71.53 μm (P = 0.008) after 3 injections and by 47.81 ± 77.94 μm (P < 0.001) after 1 year. Switching to aflibercept from ranibizumab or bevacizumab resulted in a reduction in the height of PED and central subfield thickness, but a trend toward worse visual acuity 1 year after the switch.