Two-year outcome of treat-and-extend aflibercept after ranibizumab in age-related macular degeneration and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy patients

Keiko Azuma,1 Ryo Asaoka,1 Aya Matsuda,2 Jihee Lee,3 Kimiko Shimizu,1 Hiroko Inui,1 Hiroshi Murata,1 Asako Ogawa,1 Motoshi Yamamoto,1 Tatsuya Inoue,1 Ryo Obata1 1Department of Ophthalmology, Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; 2Department of Ophthalmology, Toranomon Byoin, Tokyo, Japan; 3Department of Ophthalmology, Miyata Eye Hospital, Miyakonojo, Japan Background: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the 2-year outcome and predictive factors of treat-and-extend aflibercept in patients with eyes affected by typical neovascular age-related macula degenelation (t-AMD) or polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV), who were switched from ranibizumab. Patients and methods: The patients underwent three monthly aflibercept injections and subsequent administration following the treat-and-extend protocol. Sixty-two eyes of 62 patients were reviewed retrospectively. R statistical software was used for statistical analysis. Results: Twenty-two eyes were t-AMD and the remaining 40 eyes were PCV. There was no significant difference in the logarithm of the minimal angle of resolution visual acuity (VA) between baseline and 2 years after switching to aflibercept (0.40 vs 0.40; P=0.99). Multivariate analyses suggested that the following factors were significantly correlated with better VA at 2 years after switching to aflibercept: patients with PCV, the absence of intraretinal fluid at baseline, and better VA at baseline. Conclusion: In conclusion, VA was maintained and there was an anatomical improvement at 2 years in patients with t-AMD and PCV who were switched from ranibizumab to treat-and-extend aflibercept. PCV patients showed more favorable visual outcomes and less injections at 2 years compared to t-AMD patients. Intraretinal fluid and VA at baseline were predictors of VA at 2 years. Keywords: typical neovascular age-related macular degeneration, polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy, persistent exudative changes with ranibizumab, aflibercept, 2-year outcome