title: VITREOMACULAR TRACTION AFFECTS ANTI-VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR TREATMENT OUTCOMES FOR EXUDATIVE AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of vitreomacular traction (VMT) on visual acuity outcomes and central retinal thickness (CRT) measurements after intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy for treatment of exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective series, the authors evaluate the clinical records and optical coherence tomography of 34 eyes of 32 patients, with VMT confirmed on optical coherence tomography at baseline, to assess the effects of VMT on anti-VEGF therapy for newly diagnosed exudative wet AMD. Best-corrected visual acuity at baseline, 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months and CRT at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months were assessed. Comparison was made with a control group of 29 eyes of 28 patients with wet AMD and no VMT on optical coherence tomography and with key variable-dosing studies for anti-VEGF in exudative AMD (CATT, HARBOR, PrONTO, SUSTAIN, and Gupta et al).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Best-corrected visual acuity results showed a visual acuity improvement that peaked at 3 months with 2.47 letters, well below other variable-dosing studies for anti-VEGF therapy in exudative AMD. This was then followed by a steady decline with mean best-corrected visual acuity at 12 months ending below the baseline level (-1.00 letters) compared with a gain of 9.39 letters in the control group at 12 months. Comparison of the mean CRT in the VMT group between baseline and 12 months showed no significant difference (P = 0.67), whereas the PrONTO study and control groups showed a highly significant difference at 12 months compared with baseline (P < 0.001). Mean CRT values at 6 months and 12 months were essentially at baseline levels (0.26 μm, -0.62 μm, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitreomacular traction at baseline, existing concurrently with newly diagnosed exudative AMD treated with intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy on a variable-dosing regime, was associated with poorer visual outcomes and a decreased response to reduction in CRT, compared with a control group of wet AMD without VMT and compared with major variable-dosing studies for intravitreal anti-VEGF in exudative AMD.
authors.affiliation: *Southampton Eye Unit, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom; and †Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Radhika
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krishnan
authors.forename: Rashi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arora
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Salvo
authors.forename: Alina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stinghe
authors.forename: Philip S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Severn
authors.forename: Bishwanath
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pal
authors.forename: Srinivas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Goverdhan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005122:Exudates and Transudates; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012164:Retinal Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D000267:Tissue Adhesions; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000473:pathology*; D057135:Wet Macular Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A