A Comparison of Efficacies of Aflibercept and Ranibizumab, Depending on the Angiographic Classification of Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy

PURPOSE: To compare the short-term efficacy of intravitreal aflibercept and ranibizumab treatment according to the subtypes of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) based on indocyanine green angiography (ICGA). METHODS: Fifty-five treatment naïve patients with PCV who underwent intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) (ranibizumab, 26 eyes; aflibercept, 29 eyes) injection were retrospectively analyzed. Based on ICGA, subjects with feeder and draining vessels were defined as type 1 PCV (33 eyes), and subjects who did not have either feeder or draining vessels, but had branch vascular networks were defined as type 2 PCV (22 eyes). The complete polyp regression was assessed at 3 months after the initial treatment using ICGA. Changes in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and optical coherence tomographic parameters were evaluated at 3 and 6 months. RESULTS: Patients with type 1 PCV showed a higher complete polyp regression percentage (p = 0.034) and better visual improvement (p = 0.017) after three monthly injections compared to patients with Type 2 PCV. At 3 and 6 months, the BCVA was significantly improved in type 1 PCV patients, but not in type 2 PCV patients. In patients with type 1 PCV, the aflibercept-treated group showed a better response in anatomical outcomes (p = 0.020), and complete polyp regression percentage (p = 0.027; dry macula) than the ranibizumab-treated group, and only the aflibercept-treated group showed a significant improvement of BCVA at 3 and 6 months. In patients with type 2 PCV, there were no significant differences in visual and anatomical outcome between the anti-VEGF agents. CONCLUSIONS: Type 1 PCV showed better visual improvement with a higher percentage of polyp regression than type 2 PCV. Anatomical changes were greater in patients treated with aflibercept than with ranibizumab, particularly in patients with type 1 PCV. These results suggest that a consideration of angiographic features is important in establishing a treatment strategy for patients with PCV.

Analysis of Foveal Microvascular Structures Using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Age-stratified Healthy Koreans

PURPOSE: To evaluate foveal avascular zone (FAZ) microvascular structural changes in healthy Korean subjects stratified by age using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). METHODS: Eighty eyes of 43 healthy volunteer subjects who had 20/20 or better best corrected visual acuity without other ocular or systemic disease except vitreous floaters and dry eye syndrome were enrolled and stratified by age group. To measure FAZ size and vascular density (VD) of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP), OCTA (DRI OCT Triton, Swept Source OCT, Topcon, Tokyo, Japan) scans were performed over fovea-centered 3 × 3 mm² regions, and then compared with central macular thickness (CMT) and subfoveal choroidal thickness. RESULTS: Mean age of the participants was 46.4 ± 16.1 (20–78). The SCP and DCP FAZ sizes were 0.32 ± 0.11 mm² and 0.41 ± 0.14 mm², respectively. There was a significant difference by age group (p < 0.001, p < 0.001), respectively. The FAZ VD for SCP and DCP was 28.96 ± 3.05% and 33.15 ± 3.64%, respectively. There was no difference between age groups (p = 0.118, p = 0.637). Univariate and multiple linear regression analysis showed that the FAZ size of SCP and DCP was significantly correlated with age (p = 0.039, p = 0.002) and CMT (p = 0.007, p = 0.013), respectively. The SCP and DCP FAZ size were positively correlated with age (R² = 0.279, p < 0.001, R² = 0.344, p < 0.001), and negatively correlated with CMT (R2 = 0.354, p < 0.001, R2 = 0.285, p < 0.001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The FAZ size of SCP and DCP increased with age and were negatively correlated with CMT. These results suggest that consideration of age and CMT is important when performing the clinical evaluation of FAZ size in healthy subjects.

Significance of Early Visual Responses to Bevacizumab for Macular Edema in Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion

PURPOSE: To determine whether early visual acuity response to intravitreal bevacizumab in macular edema (ME) secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) is associated with 12-month follow-up outcome. METHODS: Sixty treatment-naïve patients (60 eyes) with ME secondary to BRVO treated with intravitreal bevacizumab (1.25 mg) were retrospectively included. Initially, all patients were injected monthly to achieve fluid resolution and followed up with a pro re nata regimen for at least 12 months. The relationship between early (month 1) and late (month 12) visual acuity response (mean change from baseline in best-corrected visual acuity [BCVA]; categorized improvement [<1, 1–3, or ≥3 logMAR lines in BCVA]) was explored. RESULTS: The proportions of eyes with <1, 1-<3, and ≥3-line improvements at 1 month were 19 eyes (31.7%), 17 eyes (28.3%), and 24 eyes (40%), respectively. Within each of the three response categories, the mean BCVA change from baseline at 12 months and onward did not vary by more than 1 line from the observed mean BCVA improvement at 1 month. Inter-cohort differences across the three response categories in mean BCVA change from baseline were statistically significant at each time point. Early BCVA response at 1 month showed significant associations with ≥3 line improvement and BCVA response at 12 months in multiple logistic and linear regression analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Early BCVA responses to bevacizumab are associated with subsequent responses over the entire 12-month duration of treatment.