One-Year Results of Intravitreal Aflibercept for Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate 1-year outcomes of intravitreal aflibercept for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV).

Design: Retrospective, multicenter, consecutive case series.

Participants: A total of 90 eyes of 87 patients with treatment-naïve PCV followed at 3 tertiary centers.

Methods: Clinical records were reviewed and imaging studies were analyzed of eyes with PCV that underwent 3 consecutive monthly aflibercept injections followed by injections every 2 months. Additional (rescue) injections were performed for worsening.

Main outcome measures: Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), optical coherence tomography (OCT), and angiographic findings at 1 year.

Results: The mean BCVA (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution units) of the 90 eyes improved from 0.31 at baseline to 0.17 at 12 months (P < 0.001). The mean central retinal thickness decreased from 315 μm at baseline to 204 μm at 12 months (P < 0.001). At 12 months, 64 eyes (71.1%) achieved a dry macula, defined as absence of intraretinal or subretinal fluid on OCT. Of 83 eyes that underwent indocyanine green angiography at both baseline and 12 months, 46 (55.4%) showed complete and 27 (32.5%) showed partial resolution of polypoidal lesions. Eleven of 82 eyes (13.4%) showed decreased size of branching choroidal vascular networks.

Conclusions: Intravitreal aflibercept administered over 1 year improved both visual acuity and macular morphology in a large number of treatment-naïve eyes with PCV.