Comparison of the Effectiveness and Prognostic Factors of Intravitreal Ranibizumab between Typical Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy over 24 Months of Follow-Up

Ophthalmologica. 2015;234(1):33-9. doi: 10.1159/000431000. Epub 2015 Jun 20.

Abstract

Purpose: To compare the response to ranibizumab between patients with typical neovascular age-related macular degeneration (tAMD) and those with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV), and to determine the predictors for the outcomes.

Methods: Fifty-nine eyes from 59 consecutive patients (tAMD: 27 eyes, PCV: 32 eyes) were treated with three monthly ranibizumab injections followed by as-needed retreatment. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and morphological parameters were evaluated over 24 months of follow-up.

Results: The mean BCVA in tAMD and PCV patients was significantly improved at 3 months (-0.22 and -0.09 logMAR units, respectively). The improvement in BCVA was sustained up to 24 months in tAMD (p = 0.01) but not in PCV patients. The significant predictor for good response to ranibizumab in tAMD patients was the improvement of BCVA at 3 months, whereas that in PCV patients was the anatomical resolution at 3 months.

Conclusions: Ranibizumab is an effective therapy for tAMD and PCV over 24 months. The predictors for good outcome might be different between tAMD and PCV.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors / administration & dosage
  • Choroid / blood supply*
  • Choroid Diseases / diagnosis
  • Choroid Diseases / drug therapy*
  • Female
  • Fluorescein Angiography
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Fundus Oculi
  • Humans
  • Intravitreal Injections
  • Male
  • Polyps / diagnosis
  • Polyps / drug therapy*
  • Prognosis
  • Ranibizumab / administration & dosage*
  • Time Factors
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Visual Acuity
  • Wet Macular Degeneration / diagnosis
  • Wet Macular Degeneration / drug therapy*

Substances

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors
  • Ranibizumab