FACTORS INFLUENCING VISUAL ACUITY IN PATIENTS RECEIVING ANTI-VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR FOR MYOPIC CHOROIDAL NEOVASCULARIZATION.

PURPOSE

To identify the prognostic variables relative to myopic choroidal neovascularization (CNV) treated with intravitreal ranibizumab/bevacizumab.

METHODS

Forty-eight patients with myopic CNV were enrolled in a prospective, interventional, non-randomized 12-month study. Intravitreal ranibizumab/bevacizumab was administered in a pro-re-nata regimen and re-treatment was performed in the presence of angiographic leakage, intraretinal/subretinal fluid on optical coherence tomography, new hemorrhages, five-letter decrease and increased metamorphosia. The primary outcome measures were the identification of the predictive value of symptom duration, patient's age, refractive error, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT), CNV area, CNV location, retinal hemorrhages, atrophy, lacquer cracks, and CNV-fundus autofluorescence pattern (hyper-fundus autofluorescence/patchy pattern). The secondary outcomes were patients requiring either one or two injections to achieve CNV stabilization.

RESULTS

The mean BCVA improved from 0.49 ± 0.30 (logarithm of minimal angle resolution, Snellen equivalent 20/63) to 0.39 ± 0.32 (20/49) at 1-year follow-up (P = 0.043). Univariate and multiple stepwise linear regression analysis identified baseline BCVA (P = 0.0003), symptom duration (P = 0.005), CMT (P = 0.02), and fundus autofluorescence pattern (P = 0.005) as the explanatory variables on the final BCVA and the change in the mean BCVA. Overall, patients with better baseline BCVA, early diagnosis, lower CMT, or disclosing a hyperfundus autofluorescence CNV pattern achieved better visual outcomes. Patients responding with just one to two intravitreal injections (45.8%) obtained better visual outcomes compared with patients receiving three or more injections, and this group consisted of younger patients with lesser CMT, smaller CNV area, and fewer baseline hemorrhages.

CONCLUSION

Ranibizumab/bevacizumab therapy was effective in improving and maintaining visual acuity in myopic choroidal neovascularization. Early diagnosis, better baseline BCVA, and hyperfundus autofluorescence CNV pattern were strongly associated with better functional outcomes. Moreover, CNV distinguished by its small size and low CMT responded more favorably, achieving a better visual outcome.