POOR LONG-TERM OUTCOME OF ANTI-VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR THERAPY IN NONPROLIFERATIVE MACULAR TELANGIECTASIA...

To investigate long-term effects after intravitreal inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor in nonproliferative macular telangiectasia type 2.

Nine patients with macular telangiectasia type 2 treated with 12 monthly intravitreal ranibizumab injections in 1 eye were investigated again after a mean follow-up of 6.0 ± 0.4 years. Functional assessment included best-corrected visual acuity and microperimetry testing. Morphologic investigations included optical coherence tomography imaging and fluorescein angiography.

Mean visual acuity at baseline was similar in treated and control eyes (both 20/50; range: 20/32-20/125 in the treated eyes and 20/25-20/100 in the untreated eyes). None of the eyes had a neovascular membrane or a paracentral scotoma. At the last follow-up, more eyes of the treatment group had lost 2 or more lines on best-corrected visual acuity testing (4 vs. 1) and more eyes had developed an absolute paracentral scotoma (7 vs. 2). A secondary neovascular membrane had formed in four of the treated and in none of the untreated eyes.

Vascular endothelial growth factor inhibition with monthly dosing over 1 year had no beneficial effect 5 years after cessation of therapy. The worse outcome in the treated eyes may be due to selection bias, small sample size, or a potential adverse effect of vascular endothelial growth factor inhibition in a degenerative, primarily nonvascular disease as macular telangiectasia type 2.