The therapeutic effect of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) was determined by a number of factors. Comprehensive thorough analysis of clinical features, imaging results and treatment response can predict the potential efficacy and possible vision recovery for the patient, and also can optimize the treatment regime to make a personalized therapy plan. Precise medicine with data from genomics, proteomics and metabolomics study will provide more objective and accurate biology basis for individual precise treatment. The future research should focus on comprehensive assessment of factors affecting the efficacy of anti-VEGF therapy, to achieve individualized precise diagnosis and treatment, to improve the therapeutic outcome of nAMD.
ObjectiveTo observe the optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) image characteristics of polypoid choroidal vascular disease (PCV) after intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs, and to discuss its significance in the diagnosis and follow-up of PCV.MethodsA retrospective case study. From August 2018 to January 2020, 22 eyes of 22 patients with PCV diagnosed in the ophthalmological examination of Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University were included in the study. Among them, there were 10 males with 10 eyes and 12 females with 12 eyes; the average age was 67.75±9.53 years. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), OCTA, and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) were performed. All the affected eyes were injected vitreously with 10 mg/ml Conbercept 0.05 ml (including Conbercept 0.5 mg) once a month for 3 consecutive months.Tthe macular area of 3 mm×3 mm and 6 mm×6 mm with an OCTA instrument was scanned, and the foveal retinal thickness (CRT) was measured, the area of abnormal branch blood vessels (BVN). pigment epithelial detachment before and 12 months after treatment (PED) height, foveal choroid thickness (SFCT) were performed. The diagnosis rate of PCV by OCTA was observed, as well as the changes of various indicators of BCVA and OCTA. Before and after treatment, BCVA and CRT were compared by paired t test; BVN area, PED height, and SFCT were compared by variance analysis. The changes in imaging characteristics of OCTA before and after treatment were analyzed.ResultsAmong the 22 eyes, 8 eyes were BVN; 5 eyes were polypoid lesions (polyps); 5 eyes were BVN combined with polyps; 3 eyes were not found with BVN and polyps; 1 eye with small vascular network structure, this eye was ICGA Appears as strong nodular fluorescence (polyps). The detection rate of PCV by OCTA was 86.36% (19/22). Twelve months after treatment, BVN was significantly reduced or disappeared in 16 eyes (72.72%, 16/22); polyps disappeared in 17 eyes (77.27%, 17/22). Compared with before treatment, 12 months after treatment, BCVA increased (t=3.071), CRT decreased (t=2.440), the difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05); the average BVN area, PED height, and SFCT decreased. The difference in average BVN area and PED height was statistically significant (F=2.805, 3.916; P＜0.05), and the difference in SFCT was not statistically significant (F=0.047, P＞0.05).ConclusionsThe detection rate of PCV by OCTA is 86.36%. After PCV anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drug treatment, BVN area decrease and polyps subside. OCTA is an effective means for PCV diagnosis and follow-up after anti-VEGF drug treatment.
In the expert consensus published by the Pediatrics in 2013, it was first proposed that anti-VEGF drugs can be considered for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) with stage 3, zone Ⅰ with plus disease. However, there are many problems worth the attention of ophthalmologists, including the advantages and disadvantages of anti-VEGF therapy compared with traditional laser therapy, systemic and ocular complications after anti-VEGF therapy, and what indicators are the end points of anti-VEGF therapy. Combined with this consensus and numerous research findings, we recommend that the first treatment for anti-VEGF or laser therapy should be considered from disease control effects. For the threshold and pre-threshold lesions, the effect of anti-VEGF therapy for zoneⅡ lesions is better than that for zone Ⅰ lesions and the single-time effective rate is high. So, it is suggested that anti-VEGF therapy should be preferred for the first treatment. The choice of repeat treatment should be considered from the final retinal structure and functional prognosis. Laser therapy is advisable for the abnormal vascular regression slower and abnormalities in the posterior pole. It can reduce the number of reexaminations and prolong the interval between re-examinations. However, the premature use of laser has an inevitable effect on peripheral vision field. Excluding the above problems, supplemental therapy can still choose anti-VEGF therapy again. Most of the children with twice anti-VEGF therapy are sufficient to control the disease. Anti-VEGF therapy should be terminated when there are signs such as plus regression, threshold or pre-threshold lesions controlled without recurrence, peripheral vascularization, etc.
ObjectiveTo observe the alterations of microvascular structure in patients with macular edema (ME) associated with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) before and after anti-VEGF drug therapy.MethodsA retrospective case study. Thirty-two eyes of 32 patients with unilateral BRVO-ME at Department of Ophthalmology in Beijing Hospital during November 2016 to June 2018 were enrolled in this study. There were 14 males (14 eyes) and 18 females (18 eyes), with the mean age of 57.81±10.58 years, and the mean course of the disease of 12.13±7.13 d. The affected eyes was defined as the eyes with BRVO-ME. All the affected eyes received intravitreal anti-VEGF drug injections (3+PRN). BCVA and OCT angiography (OCTA) were performed on the BRVO and fellow eyes before and after intravitreal anti-VEGF drug injections. The scanning region in the macular area was 3 mm×3 mm. Macular blood flow density in the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP), macular hemodynamics parameters [foveal avascular area (FAZ) area, perimeter (PERIM), acircularity index (AI) and vessel density within a 300um width ring surrounding the FAZ (FD-300)] and central retinal thickness (CRT) were measured in all eyes. Paired samples t-test and Univariate Linear Regression were used in this study.ResultsComparing with fellow eyes, the mean macular blood flow density measured in the entire scan was lower in BRVO-ME eyes in the SCP (t=6.589, P=0.000) and DCP (t=9.753, P=0.000), PERIM (t=4.054, P=0.000) ), AI enlarged in BRVO-ME eyes (t=4.988, P=0.000), FD-300 was lower in BRVO-ME eyes (t=2.963, P=0.006), FAZ area enlarged in BRVO-ME eyes (t=0.928, P=0.361). The blood flow density in the DCP was the parameter most significantly correlated with BCVA and FAZ area (r=0.462, ?0.387;P＜ .05). After 3 intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF drug, the CRT and FD-300 decreased, BCVA increased (t=9.865, 3.256, ?10.573; P＜0.05), PERIM and AI was not changed significantly (t=0.520, 2.004; P＞0.05). The blood flow density in the SCP decreased (t=2.814, P＜0.05), but the blood flow density in the DCP was not changed significantly (t=0.661, P=0.514). Contrarily, comparing with after 1 anti-VEGF drug injection, the blood flow density in the DCP increased after 2 anti-VEGF drug injections (t=3.132, P＜0.05). FAZ area enlarged in BRVO-ME eyes (t=5.340, P＜0.001). Comparing with last anti-VEGF drug injection, FAZ area enlarged after every anti-VEGF drug injection (t=2.907, 3.742, 2.203; P＜0.05).ConclusionsIn BRVO-ME eyes, the blood flow density in the SCP and DCP are decreased. The blood flow density in the DCP is positively correlated with BCVA and negatively correlated with FAZ area. After anti-VEGF drug therapy, the blood flow density is decreased in the SCP and increased in the DCP, FAZ area enlarged gradually, PERIM and AI are not changed significantly.
Wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD) is caused by choroidal neovascularization (CNV), which occurs when the choroidal new capillaries reach the RPE layer and photoreceptor cell layer through the ruptured Bruch membrane, leading to neovascularization bleeding, leakage, and scarring. In view of the important role of VEGF in the development of CNV, targeted therapy with various intraocular anti-VEGF drugs is the first-line treatment for wAMD. However, the efficacy of anti-VEGF drugs in the treatment of wAMD is affected by a variety of factors, and some patients still have problems such as unresponsiveness, drug resistence, tachyphylaxis, long-term repeated injections, and severe adverse effects. It is the direction of future researches to deeply explore the physiological and pathological process of wAMD, find the cause of CNV formation, and seek better therapies.
Objective To study and compare the clinical efficacy between intravitreal conbercept injection and (or) macular grid pattern photocoagulation in treating macular edema secondary to non-ischemic branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). Methods Ninety eyes of 90 patients diagnosed as macular edema secondary to non-ischemic BRVO were enrolled in this study. Forty-eight patients (48 eyes) were male and 42 patients (42 eyes) were female. The average age was (51.25±12.24) years and the course was 5–17 days. All patients were given best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure, slit lamp with preset lens, fluorescence fundus angiography (FFA) and optic coherent tomography (OCT) examination. The patients were divided into conbercept and laser group (group Ⅰ), laser group (group Ⅱ) and conbercept group (group Ⅲ), with 30 eyes in each group. The BCVA and central macular thickness (CMT) in the three groups at baseline were statistically no difference (F=0.072, 0.286;P=0.930, 0.752). Patients in group Ⅰ received intravitreal injection of 0.05 ml of 10.00 mg/ml conbercept solution (conbercept 0.5 mg), and macular grid pattern photocoagulation 3 days later. Group Ⅱ patients were given macular grid pattern photocoagulation. Times of injection between group Ⅰ and Ⅲ, laser energy between group Ⅰ and Ⅱ, changes of BCVA and CMT among 3 groups at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after treatment were compared. Results Patients in group Ⅰ and Ⅲ had received conbercept injections (1.20±0.41) and (2.23±1.04) times respectively, and 6 eyes (group Ⅰ) and 22 eyes (group Ⅲ) received 2-4 times re-injections. The difference of injection times between two groups was significant (P＜0.001). Patients in group Ⅱ had received photocoagulation (1.43±0.63) times, 9 eyes had received twice photocoagulation and 2 eyes had received 3 times of photocoagulation. The average laser energy was (96.05±2.34) μV in group Ⅰ and (117.41±6.85) μV in group Ⅱ, the difference was statistical significant (P=0.003). BCVA improved in all three groups at last follow-up. However, the final visual acuity in group Ⅰ and group Ⅲ were better than in group Ⅱ (t=4.607, –4.603;P＜0.001) and there is no statistical significant difference between group Ⅲ and group Ⅰ (t=–0.802,P=0.429). The mean CMT reduced in all three groups after treating for 1 week and 1 month, comparing that before treatment (t=–11.855, –10.620, –10.254;P＜0.001). There was no statistical difference of CMT between group Ⅰand Ⅲ at each follow up (t=0.404, 1.723, –1.819, –1.755;P=0.689, 0.096, 0.079, 0.900). CMT reduction in group Ⅰ was more than that in group Ⅱ at 1 week and 1 month after treatments (t=–4.621, –3.230;P＜0.001, 0.003). The CMT in group Ⅲ at 3 month after treatment had increased slightly comparing that at 1 month, but the difference was not statistically significant (t=1.995,P=0.056). All patients had no treatment-related complications, such as endophthalmitis, rubeosis iridis and retinal detachment. Conclusions Intravitreal conbercept injection combined with macular grid pattern photocoagulation is better than macular grid pattern photocoagulation alone in treating macular edema secondary to non-ischemic BRVO. Combined therapy also reduced injection times comparing to treatment using conbercept injection without laser photocoagulation.
In the past, panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) and vitrectomy (PPV) were the main treatments for proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). In recent years, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs have been used more and more widely in PDR due to their advantages in rapidly subtracting new blood vessels, reducing leakage, and promoting the absorption of blood. The combination of anti-VEGF drugs and PRP in the treatment of PDR, especially high-risk PDR, can increase the rate of neovascularization and prevent some patients with mild to moderate vitreous hemorrhage from PPV. The application of anti-VEGF drugs during the perioperative period of PPV can also reduce bleeding during the operation, shorten the operation time, and reduce surgical complications. Although clinical studies have confirmed that anti-VEGF drugs can be used as an alternative treatment for PRP, most patients require multiple and long-term treatments, which increase the psychological and economic burden of patients. It is expected that the cost of anti-VEGF drugs and the development of long-acting dosage forms can be reduced and bring better efficacy and benefits to PDR patients in the future.
ObjectiveTo study changes in choroidal thickness(CT) with intravitreal injections of ranibizumab treatment.
MethodsThis is a prospective, uncontrolled, open-label study. A total of 31 eyes of 31 patients diagnosed with wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and 33 eyes of 33 patients diagnosed with choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to pathological myopia (PM) were included in the study. All affected eyes were treated with intravitreal ranibizumab 0.05 ml (10 mg/ml) and followed up monthly until 6 months. Enhanced depth imaging on Cirrus spectral-domain optical coherence tomography was used to measure the CT. The initial CT was compared with the data at 1, 3 and 6 month after treatment, and the correlation between of the decrease of CT at the 6 month and the number of injection times was analyzed.
ResultsIn AMD group, the average CT respectively decreased by (9.68±11.02), (12.58±11.04), (13.84±11.67)μm at 1, 3 and 6 month, and the differences were significant(t=4.89, 6.34, 6.60;P < 0.001). In PM group, the average CT respectively decreased by (2.06±10.92), (3.64±8.78), (3.27±7.20)μm at 1, 3 and 6 month. The difference at 1 month was not significant (t=1.08, P=0.287). While after 3 months and 6 months, the differences were significant(t=2.38, 2.61;P=0.024, 0.014). The injection times were not correlated with the CT decreases at 6 month in both groups(r=0.04, 0.30;P=0.815, 0.099).
ConclusionIntravitreal injections of ranibizumab can induce choroidal thickness reduction for wet age-related macular degeneration and choroidal neovascularization secondary to pathologic myopia.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the effects of intravitreal ranibizumab therapy for serous pigment epithelial detachment (sPED) secondary to exudative age-related macular degeneration(eAMD).
MethodsTwenty-three eyes from 23 patients of eAMD with sPED were enrolled in this study. The best corrected visual acuity, ocular coherence tomography (OCT), maximum PED height from baseline, volume of PED and central fovea thickness(CFT)were collected monthly for these patients. And the patients were receiced intravitreal injection with ranibizumab of 0.5 mg of three consecutive monthly injections.
ResultsNo complications were observed during the study period. After 6 months follow-up, 17 eyes improved, 4 eyes unchanged and only 2 eye decreased. The best corrected visual acuity was from 0.77±0.39 up to 0.61±0.27(t=2.601, P < 0.05). It was observed by OCT that the PED height was decreased from (357.2±171.9)μm (before treatment) to (247.7±171.7)μm (after treatment) (t=3.192, P < 0.05) and the volume of PED was decreased from(0.741±1.012) mm3 to (0.337±0.498) mm3 (t=2.502, P < 0.05). The central foveal thickness was decreased from (317.9±73.8)μm to (302.5±89.3)μm, but the difference were no statistically significantly (t=0.887, P > 0.05).
ConclusionRanibizumab may be an effective treatment for improving vision and reducing the degree of PED in eAMD patients.
ObjectiveTo observe and analyze the risk factors related to vitreous re-hemorrhage (PVH) after anti-VEGF drugs combined with vitrectomy (PPV) in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).MethodsRetrospective analysis study. From April 2017 to July 2018, 100 eyes of 87 PDR patients who were diagnosed in Jiaxing Eye Hospital and received anti-VEGF drugs combined with 25G PPV were included in the study. Among them, there were 44 eyes in 38 males and 56 eyes in 49 females. The age ranged from 26 to 83 years, with an average age of 57.72±8.82 years. All patients were type 2 diabetes, with an average duration of diabetes 10.84±6.03 years. All affected eyes were assisted by the same doctor with a non-contact wide-angle lens under the standard three-channel 25G PPV of the flat part of the ciliary body. Five to 7 days before the operation, intravitreal injection of ranibizumab or conbercept 0.05 ml (10 mg/ml) was performed. The incidence of PVH was observed. The age of PVH patients, duration of diabetes, vision before operation, average fasting blood glucose and average postprandial blood glucose before operation, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure before surgery, laser treatment before surgery, lens removal during operation, intraocular filling during operation, retinal laser points during operation, and fundus lesions during operation (hyperplasia film, Retinal hemorrhage, vascular occlusion, proliferative retinal traction, retinal hiatus, retinal detachment, exudation, neovascularization) were analyzed to find out the cause of PVH. Spearman bivariate correlation analysis and binary logistic regression analysis were performed on the data.ResultsOf the 100 eyes of 87 patients, PVH occurred in 17 eyes (17%). There were statistically significant differences in the number of eyes with vascular occlusion and proliferative traction during surgery in patients with and without PVH (χ2=5.741, 8.103; P＜0.05). There was no significant difference in age (t=－1.364), duration of diabetes (t=0.538), preoperative vision (t=1.897), preoperative fasting blood glucose level (t=1.938), preoperative postprandial blood glucose level (t=1.508), preoperative systolic blood pressure (t=－0.571), preoperative diastolic blood pressure (t=0.275), whether received laser treatment (χ2=2.678), the number of laser points during operation (t=0.565), whether received lens removal during operation (χ2=0.331), whether found new blood vessels during operation (χ2=2.741) and whether received intraocular filling during operation (χ2=0.060) between the patients with and without PVH (P＞0.05). Spearman's bivariate correlation analysis showed that patients with low vision, poor control of fasting blood glucose levels, vascular occlusion and proliferative retinal traction during the operation were related risk factors for PVH (rs=0.208, 0.229, 0.240, 0.285; P＜0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that fundus vascular occlusion and hyperplastic retinal traction may be independent risk factors for PVH during surgery (OR=5.175, 13.915; P＜0.05).ConclusionFundus vascular occlusion and retinal traction caused by fibrovascular membrane hyperplasia in PPV may be independent risk factors for PVH in patients with PDR after anti-VEGF drugs combined with PPV.
