Results of the first 12 months treatment of macular edema complicating brvo in patients treated with ranibizumab
Abstract
The aim of the study: Retrospective evaluation of the first 12 months treatment of macular edema in BRVO with ranibizumab based on anatomical and functional parameters. Methods: 54 eyes with macular edema complicating BRVO were included in the study, with an average initial best corrected visual acuity 4/16 ETDRS charts, an average central retinal thickness 512.3 μm, and in average 4 months till the beginning of treatment with ranibizumab.
After 3 initial injections of 0.5 mg ranibizumab treatment was performed in pro re nata regimen, with adjuvant laser (grid laser photocoagulation) as an additional treatment option. The number of injections administered, the number of eyes where grid laser photocoagulation was provided, functional parameters as a letter gain and BCVA (eyes with final BCVA GREATER-THAN OR EQUAL TO 4/8 ETDRS, final BCVA in according to initial BCVA) and anatomical parameters as amean CRT and CRT LESS-THAN OR EQUAL TO 250 μm, respectively LESS-THAN OR EQUAL TO 300 μm were evaluated.
Results: In the whole group, an average of 4.8 injections of ranibizumab were administered in the first 12 months. Grid laser photocoagulation was performed in 42 eyes: in 8 eyes prior to the beginning of treatment with ranibizumab, 7 eyes before and during the treatment, 29 eyes only during the treatment.
The main gain of letters after 12 months of treatment was +16.5 letters, with 63% (n = 34) eyes earning GREATER-THAN OR EQUAL TO 15 letters. In the whole group 72 % (n = 39) eyes achieved the resulting BCVA GREATER-THAN OR EQUAL TO 4/8 ETDRS after 12 months of treatment.
The eyes with initial BCVA GREATER-THAN OR EQUAL TO 4/10 ETDRS resulted in BCVA GREATER-THAN OR EQUAL TO 4/8 ETDRS in 96 % (n = 23 eyes) and 11 eyes even achieved BCVA GREATER-THAN OR EQUAL TO 4/4. The mean CRT after 12 months of treatment was 290.3 μm, 33.3 % of eyes had final CRT LESS-THAN OR EQUAL TO 250 μm, and 64.8 % had final CRT LESS-THAN OR EQUAL TO 300 μm.
Conclusion: When applying a relatively low number of injections in the first year of treatment with ranibizumab, the final best corrected visual acuity was very good at the end of the observation period, and its dependence on the initial best corrected visual acuity was confirmed. Satisfactory results of central retinal thickness were found as well.