Photoreceptor status after antivascular endothelial growth factor therapy in exudative age-related macular degeneration.

Abstract

AIMS:

To evaluate the photoreceptor layer status after antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy in choroidal neovascularisation (CNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).

DESIGN:

Prospective, consecutive case series.

METHODS:

Twenty-three eyes of 22 patients with CNV secondary to AMD with foveal thickness less than 250 microm after treatment with anti-VEGF therapy and no obvious leakage on time domain OCT, and eight healthy subjects as controls, were imaged with at least one of four different SD-OCT devices. The inner and outer segment (IS/OS) photoreceptor layers were graded, and correlated with various characteristics including visual acuity.

RESULTS:

The IS/OS layer was detected in eight eyes (35%) of patients with AMD and all eyes (100%) of the healthy control subjects (p = 0.002). Eyes in patients with AMD with preserved IS/OS had a significantly better BCVA and mean change in BCVA, and were more likely not to have had previous laser treatment compared with eyes with absent IS/OS.

CONCLUSIONS:

SD-OCT is a useful tool to visualise IS/OS status. IS/OS is often absent in patients who have received treatment with anti-VEGF therapy for CNV due to AMD. The IS/OS status after anti-VEFG therapy correlates with BCVA and mean change in vision.

• Authors: K Sayanagi, S Sharma, P K Kaiser
• Journal: The British journal of ophthalmology (Br J Ophthalmol) Vol. 93 Issue 5 Pg. 622-6 (May 2009) ISSN: 1468-2079 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 19208677 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Angiogenesis Inhibitors
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

Topics

• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Angiogenesis Inhibitors (therapeutic use)
• Choroidal Neovascularization (drug therapy, etiology, pathology)
• Female
• Humans
• Macular Degeneration (complications, drug therapy, pathology)
• Male
• Prognosis
• Prospective Studies
• Retinal Photoreceptor Cell Inner Segment (pathology)
• Retinal Photoreceptor Cell Outer Segment (pathology)
• Tomography, Optical Coherence (methods)
• Treatment Outcome
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A (antagonists & inhibitors)
• Visual Acuity (drug effects)