Anecortave acetate treatment for retinal angiomatous proliferation: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate anecortave acetate treatment of retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP), a neovascular form of age-related macular degeneration, with specific regard to inhibition of neovascularization and maintenance of vision.


METHODS
Thirty-four patients with RAP with any stage of neovascularization were randomized 1:1:1 for treatment with three different quantities (30 mg, 15 mg, 3 mg) of anecortave acetate sterile suspension for juxtascleral administration. Best-corrected visual acuity (Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study chart), intraocular pressure measurement, biomicroscopy, funduscopy, digital fluorescein, and indocyanine green angiography were recorded at baseline and at 3 months. A 6-month retreatment interval was established for this study with a follow-up of 12 months. In selected patients optical coherence tomography was performed. The outcomes were mean changes in visual acuity and lesion size at 1 year.


RESULTS
The detachment of the neurosensory retina and retinal pigment epithelium improved in all eyes, but all neovascular lesions increased in size. Vision loss occurred in the majority of study eyes (22 out of 34 eyes, 64.7%) independent of the concentration administered.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that a posterior juxtascleral injection of anecortave acetate reduces capillary permeability in patients with RAP. However, in spite of improvement of the exudation there is a progression of neovascularization and a significant loss of vision in all these patients. Like other monotherapeutic methods used to treat this variant of neovascular age-related macular degeneration, anecortave acetate alone does not appear to benefit these patients. Future studies should investigate a combination form of therapy.
Klais
Christina M
CM
LuEsther T. Mertz Retinal Research Center, Manhattan Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital, New York, New York 10021, USA.
Eandi
Chiara M
CM
Ober
Michael D
MD
Sorenson
John A
JA
Sadeghi
Sara N
SN
Freund
K Bailey
KB
Spaide
Richard F
RF
Slakter
Jason S
JS
Yannuzzi
Lawrence A
LA
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000798:Angiomatosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004396:Coloring Agents; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D007208:Indocyanine Green; D007267:Injections; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011244:Pregnadienediols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015861:Retinal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000187:drug effects*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014792:Visual Acuity
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D004396:Coloring Agents; D011244:Pregnadienediols; D007208:Indocyanine Green; C418047:anecortave acetate