Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular adverse events associated with intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor monoclonal antibodies: a World Health Organization pharmacovigilance study

Abstract

PurposeTo analyze cardiovascular and cerebrovascular adverse events (ADRs) after intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF; aflibercept, bevacizumab, brolucizumab, and ranibizumab) treatment. SubjectsVigiBase, a World Health Organization (WHO) global safety report database DesignPharmacovigilance study MethodsThe individual-case-safety reports (ICSR) of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular ADRs after intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment were compared with those reported in the full database. From 2004 to 2023, 23,129 ADRs after intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy and 25,015,132 ADRs associated with any drug (full database). Main Outcome MeasuresThe reporting odds ratio (ROR) and information components (IC) were calculated, and the 95% lower credibility interval endpoint of the information component (IC025) was used for disproportionate Bayesian reporting. Inter-drug comparisons were performed using the ratio of odd ratio (rOR). ResultsCompared with the full database, anti-VEGFs were associated with an increased reporting of myocardial infarction (IC025 0.75; ROR: 1.78 [95% CI 1.70–1.86]), angina pectoris (IC025 0.53; ROR: 1.61 [95% CI 1.47–1.77]), arrythemias including atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, ventricular fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia (all IC025 >0, ROR>1), hypertension (IC025 2.22; ROR: 4.91 [95% CI 4.82–5.01]), and hypertensive crisis (IC025 1.97; ROR: 4.49 [95% CI 4.07–4.97]). Moreover, anti-VEGFs were associated with a higher reporting of cerebrovascular ADRs such as cerebral infarction (IC025 4.34; ROR: 23.19 [95% CI 22.10–24.34]), carotid artery stenosis (IC025 1.85; ROR: 5.24 [95% CI 3.98–6.89]), cerebral hemorrhage (IC025 2.29; ROR: 5.38 [95% CI 5.03–5.76]), and subarachnoid hemorrhage (IC025 1.98; ROR: 4.81 [95% CI 4.14–5.6]). Inter-drug comparison indicated that compared to ranibizumab, patients with aflibercept showed overall under-reporting of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular ADRs such as myocardial infarction (rOR 0.55 [95% CI 0.49–0.52]), atrial fibrillation (rOR 0.28 [95% CI 0.23–0.35]), cerebrovascular accident (rOR, 0.15 [95% CI 0.14–0.17]), and cerebral hemorrhage (rOR, 0.51 [95% CI 0.40–0.65]). ConclusionsIn this pharmacovigilance case-noncase study, significantly increased reporting of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular ADRs were identified after intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment. While ranibizumab may exhibit superior systemic safety regarding its biological characteristics, it is crucial not to overlook the occurrence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular ADRs considering its higher reporting rate than bevacizumab or aflibercept.