PIGMENT EPITHELIAL DETACHMENT THICKNESS AND VARIABILITY AFFECTS VISUAL OUTCOMES IN PATIENTS WITH NEOVASCULAR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION

Retina. 2024 Jan 1;44(1):10-19. doi: 10.1097/IAE.0000000000003935.

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of pigment epithelial detachment (PED) thickness (i.e., height) and thickness variability on best-corrected visual acuity outcomes in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration in the Phase 3 HAWK and HARRIER trials.

Methods: Optical coherence tomography images from the pooled brolucizumab 6 mg and aflibercept 2 mg arms were analyzed for the maximum PED thickness across the macula at baseline through to week 96. Best-corrected visual acuity outcomes were compared in patients with different PED thickness and variability cut-off thresholds.

Results: Greater PED thickness at baseline or at week 12 was associated with lower mean best-corrected visual acuity gain from baseline to week 96 (baseline PED ≥200 µ m: +4.6 letters; <200 µ m: +7.0 letters; week 12 PED ≥100 µ m: +5.6 letters; <100 µ m: +6.6 letters). Eyes with the largest PED thickness variability from week 12 through week 96 gained fewer letters from baseline at week 96 (≥33 µ m: +3.3 letters; <9 µ m: +6.2 letters). Furthermore, increased PED thickness at week 48 was associated with higher prevalence of intraretinal and subretinal fluid.

Conclusion: In this treatment-agnostic analysis, greater PED thickness and PED thickness variability were associated with poorer visual outcomes in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration and greater neovascular activity.

MeSH terms

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Intravitreal Injections
  • Macular Degeneration* / drug therapy
  • Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / therapeutic use
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / therapeutic use
  • Retinal Detachment* / diagnosis
  • Retinal Detachment* / drug therapy
  • Retinal Detachment* / etiology
  • Retinal Pigment Epithelium
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence / methods
  • Visual Acuity
  • Wet Macular Degeneration* / complications
  • Wet Macular Degeneration* / diagnosis
  • Wet Macular Degeneration* / drug therapy

Substances

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors
  • Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins