title: [Comparison of 12 Months Outcome of As-needed Intravitreal Aflibercept or Ranibizumab for the Treatment of Naïve Patients with Age-related Macular Degeneration].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare pro re nata (PRN) intravitreal injections of aflibercept (IVA) and ranibizumab (IVR) in patients with treatment naïve age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed 42 eyes that receive 3 times monthly IVA as introduction phase and subsequently received PRN retreatment at the recurrence. As the control, 56 eyes received the same IVR treatments as the IVA criteria. We statistically analyzed chronological changes of VA and the first recurrence following introduction phase by comparing the findings of the 2 groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference in the IVA and the IVR in baseline visual acuity (VA) and the mean number of injections during 12 months. Compared to the IVR, the IVA showed better improved VA from baseline at each time point, especially, there was a statistically significant difference in 6 months after introduction (p = 0.041). The IVA proved to have a shorter period until the first recurrence and a lower remission maintenance rate following introduction phase than the IVR. The improvement of VA above 0.2 logMAR was significantly related to cases involving polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy, greatest linear dimension and baseline VA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The improvement of VA in anti-VEGF therapy for AMD was influenced by the disease type or pathology rather than the choice of therapeutic agents.
authors.forename: Naoyasu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Umeda
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hokao
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsukahara
authors.forename: Kanno
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okamura
authors.forename: Eiichi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Uchio
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D000069579:Ranibizumab / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012008:Recurrence; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014785:Vision, Ocular
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C533178:aflibercept; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; D000069579:Ranibizumab