Subfoveal choroidal thickness response to anti-VEGF treatment in wet AMD

Session Details

Session Title: Free Paper Session 4: AMD II

Session Date/Time: Thursday 07/09/2017 | 11:00-12:30

Paper Time: 12:06

Venue: Room 111

First Author: : A.Abreu PORTUGAL

Co Author(s): :    L. Malheiro   V. Lages   M. Gomes   M. Macedo   M. Furtado   M. Lume              

Abstract Details

Purpose:

To evaluate the changes in subfoveal choroidal thickness (CT) during the first year of intravitreal anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) agents as treatment for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients.

Setting:

Department of Ophthalmology of a tertiary referral centre in Oporto, Portugal - Centro Hospitalar e Universitário do Porto

Methods:

Retrospective chart review of medical records of 24 treatment-naïve, consecutive patients (25 eyes) who were diagnosed with neovascular AMD and received intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment in pro re nata or treat and extend regimen. Subfoveal CT was measured with images obtained using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (Spectralis - Helderberg) at baseline and at 3, 6 and 12 months. Central foveal thickness (CFT) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were analyzed at baseline and during follow-up visits.

Results:

Twenty-five eyes (24 patients) were included. Fifteen eyes were treated exclusively with bevacizumab, 5 eyes exclusively with aflibercept and in 5 eyes, who did not respond to 3 to 6 months bevacizumab treatment, therapy was switched to aflibercept. BCVA improved from 0.3±0.2 at baseline to 0.34±0.2 at 12 months after treatment (p<0.05). Subfoveal CT decreased from 207.8±56.6 μm at baseline to 184.3±59.6 μm at 3 months (p 0.024), 178.6±60.1 μm at 6 months (p 0.017) and 182±58.2 μm at 12 months (p 0.029). CFT improved from 391.8±217.9 μm at baseline to 242.1±70.2 μm at the end of follow-up (p 0.01).

Conclusions:

Both intravitreal bevacizumab and aflibercept significantly decreased subfoveal CT. The decreasing effect of anti-VEGF agents on choroidal thickness was highest in the first three months. Switching therapy to aflibercept did not influence subfoveal CT.