PURPOSE

To determine monitoring and treatment patterns and vision outcomes in real-world patients initiating anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy for diabetic macular edema (DME).

DESIGN

Retrospective interventional cohort study.

METHODS

Setting: Electronic medical record analysis of Geisinger Health System data.

STUDY POPULATION

A total of 110 patients (121 study eyes) initiating intravitreal ranibizumab or bevacizumab for DME during January 2007‒May 2012, with baseline corrected visual acuity of 20/40 to 20/320, and ≥1 ophthalmologist visit during follow-up.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Intravitreal injections per study eye during the first 12 months; corrected visual acuity, change in corrected visual acuity from baseline, proportions of eyes with ≥10 or ≥15 approximate Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study letter gain/loss at 12 months; number of ophthalmologist visits.

RESULTS

Over 12 months, mean number of ophthalmologist visits was 9.2; mean number of intravitreal injections was 3.1 (range, 1-12), with most eyes (68.6%) receiving ≤3 injections. At 12 months, mean corrected visual acuity change was +4.7 letters (mean 56.9 letters at baseline); proportions of eyes gaining ≥10 or ≥15 letters were 31.4% and 24.0%, respectively; proportions of eyes losing ≥10 or ≥15 letters were 10.8% and 8.3%, respectively. Eyes receiving adjunctive laser during the first 6 months (n = 33) showed similar change in corrected visual acuity to non-laser-treated eyes (n = 88) (+3.1 vs +5.3 letters at 12 months).

CONCLUSIONS

DME patients receiving anti-VEGF therapy in clinical practice undergo less frequent monitoring and intravitreal injections, and achieve inferior vision outcomes to patients in landmark clinical trials.