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Quantitative response of macular neovascularisation to loading phase of aflibercept in neovascular age-related
Andrea Montesel1, Ahmed M Hagag1,2, Shruti Chandra1,2
1NIHR Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre and Clinical Research Facility, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, 162, City Road, London, EC1V 2PD, UK.
Purpose:
To evaluate quantitative morphological changes in macular neovascularisation (MNV) network after aflibercept therapy in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) patients.
Methods:
Consecutive treatment-naïve patients with optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography confirmed MNV due to nAMD who completed a loading phase of intravitreal aflibercept injections. A quantitative analysis of the vascular network remodelling was performed using a computational software (Angiotool).
Results:
A total of 53 eyes of 52 patients were included in the analysis. The total MNV area decreased significantly after three aflibercept injections (p = 0.003). Total vessel area and vessel density decreased respectively of 20% and 12% at V3 (p < 0.001 in both cases). Other parameters that reduced significantly were total vessel length, average vessel length and density of vascular junctions (p = 0.018, p = 0.002, and p = 0.044, respectively). The number of vascular endpoints (p = 0.001) and lacunarity (p = 0.011) increased significantly, whilst the number of vascular junctions did not vary significantly (p = 0.068). Changes in vascular metrics were predominantly driven by MNV type 1 and 2. No clear relationship was observed between any of the vascular metrics and the macular fluid status.
Conclusion:
Although objective quantification of vascular parameters showed a significant remodelling of the MNV post-loading phase of aflibercept in type 1 and 2 MNV subtypes, none of the quantified vascular metrics correlated to the macular fluid response. These findings highlight a dissociation of anti-angiogenic and anti-permeability properties of aflibercept therapy during the loading phase.
