Short-Term Outcomes of Three Consecutive Monthly Loading Administrations of Aflibercept 8 Mg for Treatment-Naïve Exudative Age-Related Macular Degeneration
<b>Background/Objectives:</b> The aim was to investigate the short-term outcomes of three consecutive monthly aflibercept 8 mg administrations for treatment-naïve eyes with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD). <b>Methods:</b> Twenty-one eyes with exudative AMD were included (type 1 macular neovascularization: eleven eyes; type 2 macular neovascularization, four eyes; and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV), six eyes). All eyes received three consecutive monthly administrations of aflibercept 8 mg (114.3 mg/mL) at an injection volume of 0.07 mL. Indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) was performed on eyes with PCV at baseline and at the 3-month visit. <b>Results:</b> The best-corrected visual acuity significantly (BCVA) improved from 0.31 ± 0.38 (baseline) to 0.25 ± 0.38 at the 3-month visits (<i>p</i> = 0.035). Dry macula achieved 62% and 100% at the 1-month and 3-month visits, respectively. Central retinal thickness and subfoveal choroidal thickness significantly decreased by 55.7% and 19.8%, from 341 ± 112 (baseline) to 190 ± 64 (3-month visits) and from 192 ± 50 (baseline) to 154 ± 51 (3-month visits), respectively (both <i>p</i> < 0.001). Complete regression of polypoidal lesions was seen in five (83.3%) eyes out of six on ICGA at the 3-month visit. No systemic adverse events were noted, and one eye developed a retinal pigment epithelial tear one month after the first injection. <b>Conclusions:</b> Three consecutive monthly administrations of aflibercept (8 mg) were safe and effective for resolving exudation and polyp regression, with significant BCVA improvement in treatment-naïve eyes with exudative AMD.
Authors
- Yoshiko Fukuda
- Kenji Kashiwagi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8506-8503)
- Shuhei Hosoda
- Yoichi Sakurada (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2894-0454)
- Wataru Kikushima (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2548-3806)
- Yumi Kotoda (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4741-3163)
Institutions
- University of Yamanashi (JP)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Pharmaceuticals
- Published
- 2025-03-20
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18030438
- Citations
- 5
- Primary Topic
- Retinal Diseases and Treatments
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 8.54