Background and objective: To report the predictability of recurrent exudation and subretinal hemorrhaging after treatment extension in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) through assessment of interval changes in choroidal neovascularization (CNV) size on indocyanine green (ICG) angiography.
Patients and methods: The charts of patients with neovascular AMD who underwent bevacizumab therapy using a treat-and-extend protocol were retrospectively reviewed over a 12-month period.
Results: An increase of 33% or more in CNV surface area on ICG angiography from 4 to 6 weeks, 6 to 8 weeks, and 8 to 10 weeks was observed in patients whose treatment interval could not be extended from 6 to 8 weeks, 8 to 10 weeks, and 10 to 12 weeks, respectively, and this was significant compared to patients whose treatment interval was successfully extended during those respective intervals (P < .0001, P = .0002, P = .0004, respectively).
Conclusion: CNV size change on ICG angiography can predict which patients are likely to experience recurrent exudation and/or subretinal hemorrhaging after treatment extension using treat-and-extend bevacizumab.
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