Purpose: To evaluate long-term results and predictors of efficacy in patients with macular edema due to retinal vein occlusion (RVO) treated with intravitreal ranibizumab in a clinical practice setting. Methods: The clinical records of patients with a minimum follow-up of 3 years were retrospectively analyzed. Sixteen eyes with branch RVO (BRVO) and 16 with central RVO (CRVO) were included. All patients performed cross-sectional evaluation with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), spectral domain optical coherence tomography and fluorescein angiography. The foveal avascular zone (FAZ) was assessed and microstructural morphology of the retina was characterized. Results: Follow- up was 42.9 ± 9.0 and 44.8 ± 8.0 months in the CRVO and BRVO groups, respectively. Patients with CRVO received on average 6.9 injections, with a final VA gain of 8.3 ± 15.0 letters (p = 0.05). BRVO eyes had on average 5.9 injections, with a final VA gain of 1.6 ± 21.0 letters (p > 0.05). The FAZ area remained stable in both groups (p > 0.05). Baseline BCVA and disruption of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) were predictors of final BCVA (p = 0.001 and 0.011, respectively). Conclusion: Although functional outcomes were inferior to those reported in clinical trials, ranibizumab was satisfactory in the long-term treatment of macular edema secondary to RVO and was not associated with increased macular ischemia. Final BCVA depends on baseline BCVA and RPE integrity.
Purpose: To evaluate the long-term efficacy of ranibizumab in the treatment of retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP) and to identify predictors of functional outcome. Methods: Retrospective case series comprised 79 eyes of 68 consecutive patients with RAP followed up ≥36 months. Primary end-points were best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT) variation at 36 months and at the last visit. Results: Mean follow-up time was 59.8 ± 16.0 months. All eyes were treated with pro re nata ranibizumab, with (n = 33) or without (n = 46) photodynamic therapy (PDT). Stabilization or improvement in BCVA was observed in 50.6% of the patients at 36 months, and in 40.5% at the end of the follow-up, where 20.3% preserved reading vision. A significant decrease in CMT was observed at 36 months (p < 0.001), but not at the end of the follow-up. Geographic atrophy (GA) was present in 59.5% of the eyes at the final visit. Baseline subretinal fluid was associated with better visual outcomes (p = 0.001). Results of combination treatment with intravitreal ranibizumab and PDT did not significantly differ from ranibizumab monotherapy. Conclusion: Modest functional outcomes can be expected from the long-term treatment of RAP lesions in clinical practice, most likely due to the advent of GA. Baseline subretinal fluid positively correlated with final BCVA.
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