[Adherence to anti-VEGF treatment-Considerations and practical recommendations].

BACKGROUND

Numerous studies have identified a lack of treatment adherence as an important factor that often conflicts with the necessary number of anti-VEGF injections and therefore a better functional result.

OBJECTIVE

This article discusses approaches and possible measures to reduce the risk of late and infrequent intravitreal injections leading to the major issue of undertreatment.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

In the course of an expert dialogue, relevant parameters of treatment adherence and variables were identified. Meaningful processes were structured and assigned to organizational areas.

RESULTS

The compilation of meaningful measures enables practitioners to optimize their own implementation in different areas. Regular monitoring measures can identify the extent of treatment interruption and discontinuation. For specific indicators (treatments per time interval, longest pause interval, minimum coverage per unit time, delay) an effect on the development of visual function was demonstrated. Organizational measures, training of teams and referring physicians, redundant and iterative information transfer to patients have been proven in the experience of experts. The firm integration of these processes into the structures is facilitated by working with checklists.

CONCLUSION

An optimization of the processes is possible to improve the adherence and the functional results; however, interventional studies showing how adherence and persistence can be increased in the German treatment setting are still lacking.