The efficacy of ranibizumab treatment in clinical practice in patients with the wet form of age-related macular degeneration. The results of the Czech National Registry.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this communication was to evaluate ranibizumab in the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration.


METHODS
Anonymised data on treatment efficacy and safety were consecutively entered into the Czech national database. From 01/09/2008 to 25/10/2011, 671 patients/685 eyes treated with ranibizumab monotherapy were entered in the registry. 454 ranibizumab treated eyes and 444 patients were monitored for 12-months. The dependent variable used to monitor disease progression and treatment results was change in visual acuity in the ETDRS (Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study) chart over time.


RESULTS
After 12 months of treatment, a loss of < 15 letters in the ETDRS chart was found in 81.5% of eyes treated with ranibizumab. A gain of ≥ 15 letters was found in 9.7% of eyes on ranibizumab. The results for our patients treated in clinical practice with ranibizumab were poorer than those in the SUSTAIN (Ranibizumab in Patients With Subfoveal Choroidal Neovascularization Secondary to Age-Related Macular Degeneration) study. A rationale for this was sought in a sub-analysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Sub-analysis demonstrated that treatment naive CNV (choroidal neovascularization), occult CNV and lower height of the macular oedema at the outset of the disease may be positive prognostic factors for final visual acuity in anti-VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) treated patients.
Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, Czech Republic.
Oldrich
O
Chrapek
Institute of Biostatistics and Analyses, Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno.
Jiri
J
Jarkovsky
Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove, Charles University in Prague and University Hospital in Hradec Kralove.
Jan
J
Studnicka
Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, Czech Republic.
Martin
M
Sin
Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University Brno and University Hospital Brno.
Petr
P
Kolar
Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, Czech Republic.
Barbora
B
Jirkova
Institute of Biostatistics and Analyses, Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno.
Ladislav
L
Dusek
Private Eye Clinic, V Hurkach 1296/10, Prague.
Sarka
S
Pitrova
Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacky University Olomouc, Czech Republic.
Jiri
J
Rehak
D000368:Aged; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018153:Czech Republic / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D000069579:Ranibizumab / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014792:Visual Acuity
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000069579:Ranibizumab
age-related macular degeneration; ranibizumab