Newly diagnosed exudative age-related macular degeneration treated with pegaptanib sodium monotherapy in US community-based practices: medical chart review study.
BACKGROUND
Studies have shown that early detection and treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (NV-AMD) can delay vision loss and blindness. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy/safety of intravitreal pegaptanib sodium monotherapy in treatment-naïve subjects with newly diagnosed NV-AMD and to gain insight into characteristics of lesions treated in community-based practices.


METHODS
From seven private US practices, charts were retrospectively reviewed on 73 subjects with previously untreated subfoveal choroidal NV-AMD treated with their first dose of pegaptanib monotherapy on/after 4/1/2005 through 6/5/2006, receiving > or =4 treatments at 6-week intervals over 21 weeks. Primary endpoint: mean visual acuity (VA) change from baseline to month 6.


RESULTS
75% of lesions were occult, and 82% were subfoveal. From baseline to month 6, mean VA change was -0.68 lines; 58% and 16% gained > or =0 and > or =3 lines of VA, and 70% were responders (<3 lines lost). In 35 subjects with early disease, 80% were responders with a mean gain of 0.46 lines.


CONCLUSIONS
Pegaptanib is effective in real-world patients with treatment-naïve NV-AMD in uncontrolled community-based retina practices.
Pfizer Inc, New York, New York 10017, USA.
Pamela A
PA
Weber
Barbara M
BM
Wirostko
Xiao
X
Xu
Thomas F
TF
Goss
Gergana
G
Zlateva
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D003154:Community Medicine; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005122:Exudates and Transudates / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005584:Fovea Centralis; D006801:Humans; D056965:Injections, Intraocular; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D011364:Professional Practice; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects; D014822:Vitreous Body
D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C495058:pegaptanib