Risk factors for myopic choroidal neovascularization-related macular atrophy after anti-VEGF treatment.

Abstract

PurposeThe study aimed to evaluate risk factors for macular atrophy (MA) associated with myopic choroidal neovascularization (mCNV) during long-term follow-up after intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment in highly myopic eyes.MethodsThe medical records of patients who received intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF agents as mCNV treatment and were followed-up for more than 36 months were retrospectively reviewed. The risk factors for the development of mCNV-MA, which is the fovea-involving patchy atrophy lesion adjacent to mCNV, were investigated using the Cox proportional hazard model.ResultsA total of 82 eyes (74 patients) were included in the study. The mean age at anti-VEGF treatment was 56.3 ± 12.5 years (range, 26–77), and the mean follow-up period was 76.3 ± 33.5 months (range, 36–154). During follow-up, mCNV-MA developed in 27 eyes (32.9%), and its occurrence was estimated to be 24.5% at 3 years and 37.3% at 5 years after the first anti-VEGF treatment. Old age (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.054, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.018–1.091; P = 0.003) and greater CNV size at baseline (HR = 2.396, CI: 1.043–5.504; P = 0.040) were significant factors for mCNV-MA development. Eyes with a thinner subfoveal choroid were more likely to show faster enlargement of the mCNV-MA during follow-up.ConclusionsIn mCNV eyes treated with intravitreal anti-VEGF agents, older age and greater mCNV size at baseline were risk factors for the development of MA during long-term follow-up, which was associated with a poor visual prognosis.