Intravitreal Aflibercept for Macular Edema Secondary to Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion in Chinese Patients

To investigate the short-term efficacy and safety of intravitreal aflibercept in a case series of patients from Taiwan, China, with macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).

A total of 32 patients with macular edema associated with BRVO, without prior macular laser or other intervention, were enrolled consecutively from September 2013 to February 2015. The cases received single 2 mg injections of intravitreal aflibercept. Primary outcome measures included changes in central foveal thickness (CFT; 1 mm increments by spectral-domain optic coherence tomography) and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), determined at 1, 2, and 3 months after the injection. Complications after injections were recorded. The changes in CFT and BCVA were compared with Wilcoxon sign-rank tests.

The CFT was significantly reduced and the BCVA was significantly improved at 1, 2, and 3 months after injection (all P < 0.05). Tomography findings revealed no recurrence within 3 months. No systemic thromboembolic events, elevated intraocular pressure, retinal detachment, or infectious endophthalmitis occurred following injection.

Single intravitreal aflibercept may be useful in treating macular edema associated with BRVO within 3 months. No adverse systemic or ocular effects were found in this case series.