Changes in metamorphopsia after the treat-and-extend regimen of anti-VEGF therapy for macular edema associated with branch retinal vein occlusion

PLoS One. 2020 Oct 28;15(10):e0241343. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0241343. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the changes in metamorphopsia after administering the treat-and-extend regimen of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy for branch retinal vein occlusion-associated macular edema. We retrospectively examined 27 patients (27 eyes) with macula edema due to branch retinal vein occlusion who received intravitreal injections of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents using the treat-and-extend regimen for ≥18 months. We evaluated best-corrected visual acuity, central macular thickness, macular edema recurrence, and amount of metamorphopsia quantified by M-CHARTS. The best-corrected visual acuity (logarithm of minimum angle of resolution) and central macular thickness significantly improved at 18 months compared to baseline, the median value (interquartile range [IQR]), 0.30 (0.15-0.52) and 459 (373-542) μm at baseline, and 0 (-0.08-0.16) and 267 (232-306) μm at 18 months. The M-CHARTS score (the mean of vertical and horizontal scores) significantly decreased at 1, 6, and 12 months compared to baseline, but worsened at 18 month, the median value (IQR), 0.45 (0.250-0.925), 0.4 (0.15-0.70), 0.4 (0.150-0.625), 0.4 (0.225-0.550) and 0.45 (0.225-0.750) at baseline, 1 month, 6 months, 12 months and 18 months, respectively. The median cumulative number of macular edema recurrences was 2 (IQR, 0.5-3.0) at 18 months. Simple linear regression and multivariate analyses revealed that the change in the mean M-CHARTS score at 18 months was significantly correlated with the baseline score and the cumulative number of macular edema recurrences. Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy using the treat-and-extend regimen improved metamorphopsia in branch retinal vein occlusion-related macular edema in the short to mid-term follow-up period, but not in the long term. Macular edema recurrence may be associated with persistent metamorphopsia.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Macular Edema / complications*
  • Macular Edema / drug therapy*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Recurrence
  • Retinal Vein Occlusion / complications*
  • Retinal Vein Occlusion / drug therapy*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism
  • Vision Disorders / complications*
  • Visual Acuity

Substances

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

Associated data

  • figshare/10.6084/m9.figshare.13106846

Grants and funding

This study was supported in part by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science KAKENHI grants 17H05101 (KI). (https://www.jsps.go.jp/j-grantsinaid/16_rule/rule.html). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. There was no additional external funding received for this study.