Abstract

SA.16.03

Effects of ranibizumab in patients with subfoveal choroidal neovascularization attributable to age-related macular degeneration

Ute Wolf-Schnurrbusch, David Waeber, Christian Brinkmann, Sebastian Wolf, Simon Rothenbuehler
Universitäts-Augenklinik, Inselspital, Bern, Schweiz

Objective
To demonstrate not only prevention of vision loss but also improvement in best-corrected visual acuity after intermittent treatment with 0.5 mg intravitreal ranibizumab over 24 months.
Methods
138 eyes of 138 patients with subfoveal choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration were treated with 0.5 mg intravitreal ranibizumab (Lucentis; Novartis, Basel, Switzerland). After single initial treatment, follow-up examinations were carried out monthly. Retreatment with single injection was performed in case of one of the following: sign of subretinal fluid or intraretinal edema, increase in central retinal thickness on optical coherence tomography, active choroidal neovascularization on fluorescein angiography, increase of metamorphopsia, and loss of more than 5 letters on ETDRS chart. Main outcome measures were: proportion of eyes gaining 15 or more letters, proportion of eyes losing or gaining less than15 letters, change in central retinal thickness compared to baseline.
Results
After 24 months, 30% of eyes gained 15 or more letters, 55% of eyes lost or gained less than 15 letters. Mean central retinal thickness of 386 ±145mm at baseline was significantly reduced to 211 ±39mm after 24 months.
Conclusions
Intermittent treatment with intravitreal ranibizumab was effective in significantly increasing best-corrected visual acuity and significantly reducing central retinal thickness.

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