Intravitreal Dexamethasone as a Rescue for Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Therapy in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration with Persistent Disease Activity and High Treatment Demand.

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_B612DB5BAB1F
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Intravitreal Dexamethasone as a Rescue for Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Therapy in Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration with Persistent Disease Activity and High Treatment Demand.
Journal
Journal of ocular pharmacology and therapeutics
Author(s)
Pietzuch M., Mantel I., Ambresin A., Tappeiner C., Nagyova D., Donati G., Pfister I.B., Schild C., Garweg J.G.
ISSN
1557-7732 (Electronic)
ISSN-L
1080-7683
Publication state
In Press
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article
Publication Status: aheadofprint
Abstract
Purpose: To assess the impact of switching to, or adding, an intravitreal dexamethasone implant (Dex; Ozurdex <sup>®</sup> ) in anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy on disease stability and treatment intervals in eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and persistent disease activity and high treatment demand. Methods: This retrospective noncomparative multicenter longitudinal case series included pseudophakic eyes with nAMD and persistent retinal fluid despite regular anti-VEGF therapy (ranibizumab or aflibercept) that received at least 1 intravitreal Dex implant. Visual acuity, central retinal thickness (CRT), and intraocular pressure were recorded before, and after, the addition of Dex to anti-VEGF therapy. Results: Sixteen eyes of 16 patients met the inclusion criteria of persistent fluid despite anti-VEGF therapy, under treatment intervals of ≤7 weeks in 14 instances. Patients were 80.9 ± 7.4 years old and had received 25.5 ± 17.4 anti-VEGF injections before Dex over a period of 36.4 ± 21.9 months before switching. The treatment interval increased from 5.5 ± 3.2 weeks between the last anti-VEGF and first Dex injection to 11.7 ± 7.3 weeks thereafter (P = 0.022). CRT remained stable (385.3 ± 152.1, 383.9 ± 129.7, and 458.3 ± 155.2 μm before switching as well as 12 and 24 months after switching; P = 0.78 and P = 0.36, respectively). An insignificant mean short-term early increase in visual acuity was not sustained over time. Conclusions: The addition of Dex resulted in a relevant and sustained increase in treatment intervals, whereas CRT and visual acuity remained stable in these difficult-to-treat eyes. It may be discussed whether inflammation or other steroid-responsive factors play a significant role in cases of nAMD with nonsatisfactory responses to anti-VEGF.
Keywords
Ozurdex, burden of treatment, dexamethasone implant, disease stability, intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy, neovascular age-related macular degeneration
Pubmed
Create date
21/12/2023 16:51
Last modification date
22/12/2023 8:50
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