Second-year visual acuity outcomes of nAMD patients treated with aflibercept: data analysis from the UK Aflibercept Users Group

Eye (Lond). 2017 Nov;31(11):1582-1588. doi: 10.1038/eye.2017.108. Epub 2017 Jun 16.

Abstract

PurposeTo audit the visual acuity (VA) outcomes achieved at the end of year two in 17 UK centres, which followed the year 1 VIEW protocol in year 1, but a variable approach in year 2 for aflibercept for neovascular macular degeneration (nAMD).Patients and methodsRetrospective data analysis, from an electronic medical record, of a consecutive series of treatment-naive nAMD patients who received aflibercept for 2 consecutive years, having followed the VIEW protocol in year one, defined as eyes having received 7 or 8 injections from baseline.ResultsThe mean number of intravitreal injections (IVI)s during year 2 was 3.7 in 1180 eyes (1083 patients). The mean baseline VA of the whole cohort was 56.3 ETDRS letters, improving to 61.3 at 1 year (+5) and 59.1 (+2.8) at the end of year 2. The mean VA letter score at the end of year 2, stratified by number of IVIs into three groups was as follows: group A, 57.3 (gain of +1.7) (44% of eyes (</=3 IVIs)); group B, 59.8 (+3.8) (34% of eyes (4-5 IVIs)); group C, 61.7 (+3.7) (22% of eyes (>/=6 IVIs)). Even though there were VA gains in the three groups over the 2-years, there was a drop in VA in year one to two. Eyes that received >/=6 IVIs (group C) had a smaller reduction of VA during year 2 than those which received </=3 IVIs (group A) (P=0.0014).ConclusionsProviding a higher number of injections after a Q8 regime in year 1 results in higher VA gains in year 2 of treatment.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Electronic Health Records
  • Female
  • Fluorescein Angiography
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Fundus Oculi
  • Humans
  • Intravitreal Injections
  • Macula Lutea / pathology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / administration & dosage*
  • Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / administration & dosage*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Time Factors
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence
  • Treatment Outcome
  • United Kingdom
  • Visual Acuity*
  • Wet Macular Degeneration / diagnosis
  • Wet Macular Degeneration / drug therapy*

Substances

  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • aflibercept
  • Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor