Type 3 neovascularisation (retinal angiomatous proliferation) treated with antivascular endothelial growth factor:...

To compare 24 months outcomes of eyes with retinal angiomatous proliferations (RAPs) treated with antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) with a group of controls diagnosed with other neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) subtypes in a real-world setting.

Treatment-naïve nAMD eyes that commenced anti-VEGF between January 2006 and November 2015 were identified from a registry of nAMD treatment outcomes. Cases were defined as eyes diagnosed with RAP. Three controls per case were selected among nAMD eyes with non-RAP lesions and matched on baseline visual acuity (VA), year of treatment initiation, anti-VEGF agent first injected and follow-up. Baseline VA was compared with 12 and 24 months VA. Change in VA, number of injections received, proportion of visits with active nAMD and time to first inactivation were compared between RAPs and controls.

157 RAPs and 469 controls were included. Baseline VA (mean (SD)) increased at 12 months (61.4 (15.5) vs 68.7 (14.7) letters, p<0.001) and remained higher (66.6 (17.3) letters) at 24 months (p<0.001) in RAPs. The change from baseline VA (mean(95% CI)) was significantly higher in RAPs than in controls at 12 months (7.3 (5.4 to 9.1) vs 4.1 (2.8 to 5.4) letters, p=0.01) and at 24 months (5.1 (2.8 to 7.3) vs 2.5 (1 to 4) letters, p=0.056). Both groups received a median of 13 injections. RAPs inactivated earlier and were less active than controls (both p<0.001).

RAPs responded well to anti-VEGF, with a significant improvement in VA persisting at 24 months. RAPs had better visual outcomes than controls at 12 and 24 months, tended to inactivate earlier and were less active throughout 2 years follow-up.