One-year results of switching to aflibercept for persistent diabetic macular edema resistant to bevacizumab.

PURPOSE

The aim of this study is to evaluate the functional and anatomical effects of switching from bevacizumab to aflibercept in patients with persistent diabetic macular edema (DME) resistant to bevacizumab.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with DME refractory to bevacizumab (1.25 mg/0.05 mL) were subsequently switched to aflibercept. The included patients received five loading doses of intravitreal aflibercept (2 mg/0.05 mL) given monthly. After the loading dose, aflibercept was injected every 2 months. The follow-up duration was 1 year.

RESULTS

The study consisted of 37 eyes of 37 patients. The mean age of the participants was 56.81 ± 7.11 years. The mean central macular thickness at baseline was 428.32 ± 84.89 μm, which decreased significantly to 275.54 ± 50.24 μm ( < 0.003). There was a significant improvement in the mean best-corrected logMAR visual acuity from 0.627 ± 0.307 at baseline to 0.203 ± 0.235 ( < 0.017) at the end of follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Aflibercept is effective in patients with persistent DME not responsive to bevacizumab.