Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Treatment for Diabetic Macular Edema in a Real-World Clinical Setting

To report the long-term outcomes of intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment for diabetic macular edema (DME) in a real-world clinical setting and to assess the efficacy of subsequent alternative treatments in eyes with suboptimal response to anti-VEGF.

Retrospective interventional case series.

The medical records of consecutive eyes with center-involving DME, treated between August 2008 and June 2015 with 3 monthly intravitreal anti-VEGF injections-with or without prompt or deferred laser-followed by pro re nata re-treatment, were reviewed. A subgroup of eyes that were unresponsive to the treatment received subsequent alternative therapeutic options, including switching to another anti-VEGF drug, intravitreal injection of dexamethasone, and vitrectomy.

A total of 170 eyes of 129 patients were included in the study. The mean follow-up (FU) was 45.6 months (SD 18; minimum 12-maximum 81). The change in mean best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 1-year FU was +5 ETDRS letters (P < .0001). Improvement in BCVA was statistically significant up to 5 years. Improvement in central macular thickness (CMT) was statistically significant up to the last FU visit. In eyes with suboptimal response, no significant visual improvement was found by switching to another anti-VEGF (P =.4347). Twenty-four eyes treated with intravitreal dexamethasone and 14 with vitrectomy exhibited a significant reduction in CMT with variable functional responses. In these eyes, better BCVA gain was found in cases with an early change of the treatment strategy.

The results support treatment with intravitreal anti-VEGF for DME in real-world clinical settings and suggest that an early change of the therapeutic strategy should be considered for eyes unresponsive to the treatment.