The efficacy of ranibizumab treatment in clinical practice in patients with the wet form of age-related macular degeneration. The results of the Czech National Registry

Abstract

Aims. The aim of this communication was to evaluate ranibizumab in the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration. Methods. Anonymised data on treatment efficacy and safety were consecutively entered into the Czech national database. From 01/09/2008 to 25/10/2011, 671 patients/685 eyes treated with ranibizumab monotherapy were entered in the registry. 454 ranibizumab treated eyes and 444 patients were monitored for 12-months. The dependent variable used to monitor disease progression and treatment results was change in visual acuity in the ETDRS (Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study) chart over time. Results. After 12 months of treatment, a loss of < 15 letters in the ETDRS chart was found in 81.5% of eyes treated with ranibizumab. A gain of ≥ 15 letters was found in 9.7% of eyes on ranibizumab. The results for our patients treated in clinical practice with ranibizumab were poorer than those in the SUSTAIN (Ranibizumab in Patients With Subfoveal Choroidal Neovascularization Secondary to Age-Related Macular Degeneration) study. A rationale for this was sought in a sub-analysis. Conclusions. Sub-analysis demonstrated that treatment naive CNV (choroidal neovascularization), occult CNV and lower height of the macular oedema at the outset of the disease may be positive prognostic factors for final visual acuity in anti-VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) treated patients.