INTRAVITREAL RANIBIZUMAB FOR POLYPOIDAL CHOROIDAL VASCULOPATHY IN NON-ASIAN PATIENTS

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To determine safety, tolerability, and efficacy of intravitreal ranibizumab in the treatment of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy in a non-Asian population. Phase I/II, prospective, open-label, single-center, nonrandomized, uncontrolled, consecutive, interventional case series of 20 eyes in 19 patients with exudative active polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy. Eyes received 3 monthly intravitreal ranibizumab injections (0.3 or 0.5 mg), with additional ranibizumab injections, observation, or alternative treatments at investigators' discretion, through 24 months. Main outcome measures were ocular and systemic safety and mean change from baseline in best-corrected visual acuity and center point thickness. Visually significant ocular adverse events included cataract progression (n = 3), mild vitreous hemorrhage (n = 2), and macular hole (n = 1). No systemic drug-related adverse events were observed. Mean baseline best-corrected visual acuity was 20/127 (range, 20/16-20/500) and center point thickness was 298 μm. Mean best-corrected visual acuity increased from baseline by 1.2 Snellen lines at 12 months and 24 months. Mean center point thickness decreased by 53 μm and 67 μm from baseline at 12 months and 24 months, respectively. Intravitreal ranibizumab was well tolerated in non-Asian patients with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy; the majority of eyes experienced improvements in best-corrected visual acuity and center point thickness after ranibizumab treatment.