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Anti-VEGF nonresponders may be misdiagnosed with AMD
WAIKOLOA, Hawaii — Physicians should be sure of a diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration before subjecting patients to a lifetime of intravitreal injections, a speaker said here.
According to Sophie J. Bakri, MD, many cases of suspected AMD are misdiagnosed, thus imposing unnecessary intravitreal injections on patients.
Sophie J. Bakri
“We know there are patients treated with anti-VEGF therapy that don’t respond to treatment, but the question is whether they are truly nonresponders or whether it is time to revisit the diagnosis,” she said at Retina 2013.
Bakri referenced eight patients who were diagnosed with wet AMD and referred to her. Upon further investigation, she correctly diagnosed the patients with conditions ranging from uveitis to Sorsby’s fundus dystrophy and type 2 juxtafoveal telangiectasia.
“There are many diseases that can look like wet AMD,” Bakri said. “Be sure to diagnose before you treat, confer the diagnosis with others if it’s very atypical, and if the patient doesn’t respond as expected, rethink the diagnosis.”
Disclosure: Bakri is a consultant for Allergan, Genentech, Regeneron and Valeant.