title: Choroidal Thickness Changes After Intravitreal Antivascular Endothelial Growth Factor Therapy for Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Ranibizumab Versus Aflibercept.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the changes in subfoveal choroidal thickness (CT) in eyes with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) treated with intravitreal ranibizumab or aflibercept.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective case series, the medical records of 28 patients with nAMD treated with at least 3 consecutive monthly injections of ranibizumab (0.5 mg/0.05 mL) or aflibercept (2 mg/0.05 mL) between December 2013 and June 2014 and who were followed up for at least 3 months were reviewed. Subfoveal choroidal thickness was measured using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Choroidal thickness decreased over time in the aflibercept group, but was unchanged throughout the study in the ranibizumab group. At each time point, the decrease was significantly greater in aflibercept-treated eyes compared with ranibizumab-treated eyes (P<0.05). No significant change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was seen in either group during follow-up. There was no correlation between change in choroidal thickness and age, sex, duration of previous antivascular endothelial growth factor treatment, number of previous injections, spherical equivalent, baseline choroidal thickness, and the BCVA outcome in either group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subfoveal choroidal thickness appeared to decrease significantly in eyes with nAMD during 3 months of aflibercept treatment. No corresponding decrease in choroidal thickness occurred in ranibizumab-treated eyes.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Ophthalmology, Sapienza University , Umberto I University Hospital, Rome, Italy .
authors.forename: Magda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gharbiya
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Ophthalmology, Sapienza University , Umberto I University Hospital, Rome, Italy .
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cruciani
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Ophthalmology, Polytechnic University of Marche , Ancona, Italy .
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mariotti
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Ophthalmology, Sapienza University , Umberto I University Hospital, Rome, Italy .
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Grandinetti
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Ophthalmology, Sapienza University , Umberto I University Hospital, Rome, Italy .
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marenco
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Ophthalmology, Sapienza University , Umberto I University Hospital, Rome, Italy .
authors.forename: Vittorio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cacace
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002829:Choroid / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005584:Fovea Centralis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D000069579:Ranibizumab / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects; D057135:Wet Macular Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C533178:aflibercept; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; D000069579:Ranibizumab