Conversion to Aflibercept After Prior Anti-VEGF Therapy for Persistent Diabetic Macular Edema

To evaluate the short-term functional and anatomic outcomes of patients with persistent diabetic macular edema (DME) who were converted from bevacizumab and/or ranibizumab to aflibercept.

Retrospective, interventional, noncomparative, consecutive case series.

Only eyes treated with at least 4 consecutive injections of ranibizumab/bevacizumab spaced 4-6 weeks apart prior to conversion and with at least 2 aflibercept injections afterward were considered for inclusion. Pertinent patient demographic, examination, and treatment data were extracted from clinical charts and tabulated for analysis.

Fifty eyes of 37 patients were included. Eyes received a mean of 13.7 bevacizumab/ranibizumab injections prior to conversion, followed by 4.1 aflibercept injections over 4.6 months of subsequent follow-up. The mean logMAR visual acuity at the pre-switch visit was 0.60 ± 0.43 (Snellen equivalent, 20/80). This improved to 0.55 ± 0.48 (Snellen equivalent, 20/70) by the second visit after conversion, corresponding to a mean logMAR change of -0.05 ± 0.22 (P = .12). The average central macular thickness from the pre-switch spectral-domain optical coherence tomography scan was 459.2 ± 139.2 μm. This significantly improved to 348.7 ± 107.8 μm by the second visit following conversion, reflecting a mean decrease of 112 ± 141 μm (P < .0001). The mean intraocular pressure (IOP) recorded at the pre-switch visit was 15.1 ± 3.3 mm Hg. At the second follow-up after converting to aflibercept, the IOP averaged 14.9 ± 3.2 mm Hg, with a mean decrease of 0.2 ± 3.0 mm Hg (P = .63).

Conversion to aflibercept for persistent DME resulted in significant anatomic improvements. While trends towards improved visual acuity and reduction in IOP were observed, these were not statistically significant.