title: Short-term efficacy of intravitreal aflibercept in treatment-naive patients with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the functional and morphologic outcomes of patients with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy who underwent intravitreal aflibercept treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively studied all the treatment-naive patients with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy who were scheduled to undergo intravitreal aflibercept between February 2013 and July 2013. The best-corrected visual acuity was compared before treatment and at 6 months after the initial treatment. Changes in the central foveal thickness, choroidal thickness, presence/absence of subretinal fluid, fibrin, pigment epithelial detachment, and subretinal hemorrhage were also evaluated. The regression of the polyps was assessed using indocyanine green angiography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 16 patients were included in this study. A significantly better best-corrected visual acuity at 6 months was seen, compared with that at baseline (P = 0.041). The mean central foveal thickness significantly decreased from 417 ± 127 μm to 187 ± 50 μm (P < 0.001). The mean choroidal thickness also significantly decreased from 250 ± 63 μm to 217 ± 64 μm (P = 0.011). Overall, a complete resolution was obtained in 93.3% (14/15) of the cases with subretinal fluid, 75.0% (3/4) of the cases with fibrin, and 88.9% (8/9) of the cases with subretinal hemorrhage. Fifty-six percent (5/9) of the cases with pigment epithelial detachment obtained a complete improvement, whereas 33.3% (3/9) exhibited a partial decrease. The rate of polyp regression was 75.0% (12/16).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intravitreal aflibercept was well tolerated and had improved the vision of treatment-naive patients with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy when it was evaluated at short-term follow-up examinations. Intravitreal aflibercept might be associated with a high possibility of achieving involution of polyps and reducing exudative findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Yokohama City University Medical Center, Yokohama, Japan.
authors.forename: Maiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arakawa
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamane
authors.forename: Kazuaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kadonosono
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015862:Choroid Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005584:Fovea Centralis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C533178:aflibercept; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor