title: Patient preference of ranibizumab treatment regimen for neovascular age-related macular degeneration - monthly injections versus pro re nata.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify preference of treatment regimen in patients with anti-VEGF therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in real life.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted in 200 patients receiving ranibizumab therapy on a pro re nata regimen with monthly controls. One hundred and twenty-four patients were recruited in a tertiary health care clinic, and 76 patients were recruited in a private practice. Patients were asked to respond to a 14-item questionnaire covering items such as treatment burden and preference for treatment: either monthly injections or pro re nata.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean time under anti-VEGF treatment was 33.7 months, and the mean number of intravitreal injections was 17.7. Despite a high treatment burden in 60.3 % of patients, there was an acceptance rate for monthly examinations or injections of 93 %. The proportion of patients who favoured a PRN regimen was 53.0 %, whereas 37.9 % of patients favoured continuous injections. Major concern was recurrent disease activity in 54.5 %.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We identified two groups of patients of considerable size who would prefer either monthly injections or as-required. Overall, there was a high acceptance rate despite a high treatment burden. Nevertheless, efforts should be undertaken to improve examination and injection procedures and to consider the patient's preference for a treatment regimen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vitreo-Retinal Surgery, University of Cologne Center of Ophthalmology, 50924, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Katharina M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Droege
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caramoy
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kersten
authors.forename: Janina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luberichs-Fauser
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zilkens
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kirchhof
authors.forename: Sascha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fauser
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008297:Male; D057240:Patient Preference / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000069579:Ranibizumab; D019233:Retreatment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D057135:Wet Macular Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000069579:Ranibizumab