Changes of Optical Coherence Tomography Biomarkers in Macular Edema Secondary to Retinal Vein Occlusion After Anti-VEGF and Anti-Inflammatory Therapies.

PURPOSE

This study aimed to assess the short-term changes of macular microstructures following anti-VEGF and anti-inflammatory therapies in patients with macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion (RVO-ME).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this retrospective study, 70 eyes of 70 patients with RVO-ME were divided into the anti-VEGF (Group A, 35 eyes) and anti-inflammatory (Group B, 35 eyes) treatment groups. All patients underwent best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) assessment, intraocular pressure (IOP) assessment, slit lamp, fundus fluorescein angiography (FA), scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (SLO), and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Group A received intravitreal injection of 0.05 mL anti-VEGF antibodies (Lucentis or Aflibercept) monthly for 3 consecutive months, while Group B received 0.7 mg dexamethasone (Ozurdex) single intravitreal injection. BCVA and SD-OCT biomarkers were recorded at baseline and 3 months after the first injection. Changes of BCVA and SD-OCT biomarkers following these treatments were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

BCVA and SD-OCT biomarkers, except choroidal thickness, in both groups were significantly improved after treatment (all < 0.01). At 3 months, the height of serous retinal detachment (SRD) was markedly lower ( = 0.006), with significantly less hyperreflective dots (HRD, = 0.037) in Group B compared with Group A. Other SD-OCT biomarkers and BCVA were not significantly different between the two groups (all > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Anti-VEGF and anti-inflammatory therapies are both effective in RVO-ME, with improvement in BCVA and SD-OCT biomarkers. Anti-inflammatory therapy may be more effective than anti-VEGF therapy in SRD and HRD resolution.