title: [Long-Term Outcome in Patients with Intravitreal Anti-VEGF Therapy for Exudative AMD].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Randomized controlled phase III studies have shown that intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy is effective for exsudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) over two years. Recently, the seven-year outcomes in ranibizumab-treated patients of the ranibizumab phase III studies have been published. Only a few other studies with such a long follow-up for intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy in patients with exsudative AMD have been published so far. We report on the outcome of patients receiving intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy for exudative AMD at the Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital of Zurich with follow-up of 3 to 7 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective chart review of all patients treated at our institution for exudative AMD with begin of treatment since 2006.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The numbers of patients with a follow-up of 3 to 4, 4 to 5, 5 to 6, 6 to 7, and more than 7 years were 430, 277, 151, 87, and 47, respectively. Mean follow-up time was 4.9 years, and median was 4.6 years. Changes in visual acuity for these patients were -5.0, -7.8, -11.7, -12.8, and -19.2 ETDRS letters, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Whereas in patients with exudative AMD during the first two years of intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment visual acuity can at least be stabilised, after three and more years visual acuity decreases in spite of continued treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland (Chair: Klara Landau, MD).
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Amstutz
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland (Chair: Klara Landau, MD).
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fleischhauer
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland (Chair: Klara Landau, MD).
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zweifel
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland (Chair: Klara Landau, MD).
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Barthelmes
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D000069579:Ranibizumab / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects; D057135:Wet Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000069579:Ranibizumab