Purpose: To report 12-month outcomes of a Polish National Treatment Program using aflibercept and ranibizumab in eyes with wet, age-related macular degeneration in routine clinical practice.
Material and methods: This was a non-randomized, retrospective, observational multicenter study. Anonymous data contained in the electronic Therapeutic Program Monitoring System were utilized in this study.
Results: The study population consisted of 2828 eyes from 2718 patients. The median age was 76.0 [70.0, 81.0] years; 61.7% were female. Best corrected visual acuity increased from 58.86 [50.05, 69.95] letters to 65.1 [50.1, 73.9] letters (p < 0.001). The median change in best corrected visual acuity was 0.0 [-4.0, 12.2] letters: 2.9 [-2.9, 15.1] letters for treatment-naïve eyes and 0.0 [-4.0, 8.8] letters for those continuing treatment (p < 0.001). The median central retinal thickness was significantly reduced from 341.0 [281.0, 422.0] to 275.0 [221.0, 344.0] μm (p < 0.001). The median number of visits was 9.0 [8.0, 9.0]. The median number of injections was 7.0 [6.0, 8.0]: 8.0 [7.0, 8.0] for treatment-naïve eyes and 6.0 [5.0, 7.0] for those continuing treatment (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Eyes treated as part of the Polish therapeutic program gained functional stability and morphological improvement. Treatment-naïve eyes showed the greatest functional benefit.
Keywords: Age-related macular degeneration; Polish National Treatment Program; choroidal neovascularization.