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Fewer anti-VEGF injections needed over time
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BOSTON — A real-world look at the treat-and-extend regimen of anti-VEGF agents for treating neovascular age-related macular degeneration showed improved vision in patients with fewer injections per year, according to a poster presented at the American Society of Retina Specialists meeting.
Arshad M. Khanani, MD, and colleagues presented a retrospective evaluation of the 4-year results of the RENO study, which evaluated the real-world treatment outcomes of intravitreal Lucentis (ranibizumab, Genentech), Eylea (aflibercept, Regeneron) or Avastin (bevacizumab, Genentech) given as-needed for treating wet AMD.
The study included 212 eyes of 183 treatment-naive patients diagnosed with neovascular AMD, all treated for 1 year or more at a single site by one physician. Patients completed an average of 2.45 years of follow-up.
Average best corrected visual acuity at baseline was 49.7 letters and patients achieved visual gains for up to 4 years with the treat and extend regimen. For the 51 patients remaining at follow-up at year 4, the patients gained an average of 9.2 letters that year. More patients, 33.5%, gained greater than 15 letters at final follow-up than the 11.8% of patients who lost more than 15 letters at final follow-up.
The average number of injections went down or stayed the same for each year of follow-up, with patients receiving seven, five, five and four injections at follow-up years 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. – by Robert Linnehan
Reference:
Khanani AM, et al. Retrospective evaluation of neovascular age-related macular degeneration managed with treat-and-extend regimen: 4-year results of the RENO study. Presented at: American Society of Retina Specialists 35th Annual Meeting, Aug. 11-15, 2017; Boston.
Disclosure: Khanani reports he is a consultant/advisor for Aerpio, Alcon, Alimera, Allergan, Genentech, Novartis and ThromboGenics; a speaker for Allergan, Genentech and Novartis; and receives research support from Aerpio, Alcon, Allergan, DigiSight, Genentech, Novartis, Ophthotech and ThromboGenics.