The role of posterior vitreous detachment on the efficacy of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor intravitreal injection for treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration

Abstract

Purpose: A prospective cohort study investigating the effect of posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) on the efficacy of intravitreal bevacizumab for exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD), in view of evidence that the vitreoretinal interface impacts the severity of the disease. Methods: Treatment-naïve AMD eyes with (+) complete PVD and without (−) PVD on ultrasonography received three monthly and then pro re nata bevacizumab injections. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) on Snellen charts and optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings were recorded for 12 months. Secondary analysis included PVD definition and group allocation according to OCT baseline scan. Results: Forty-one eyes of 34 patients met the inclusion criteria. At 12 months, median BCVA improved by 0.12 logMAR in the PVD+ group [interquartile range (IQR) −0.52, 0.03, P = 0.140] and remained the same in the PVD− group (IQR −0.12, 0.15, P = 0.643). Median central retinal thickness improved by 43.5 μm and 43 μm in the PVD+ (IQR −143, 3, P = 0.016) and PVD− group (IQR −90, −14, P = 0.008), respectively. All parameters were similar in the two groups at final follow up (P > 0.05). The secondary analysis included 32 eyes of 26 patients and showed no significant differences between the groups at the 12 months endpoint (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Our findings show no significant impact of PVD as assessed by ultrasound or by OCT on visual and anatomical outcomes in exudative AMD treated with bevacizumab.

Keywords

• Age-related macular degeneration
• bevacizumab
• intravitreal injections
• optical coherence tomography
• posterior vitreous detachment
• ultrasound