title: TREAT-AND-EXTEND REGIMEN USING RANIBIZUMAB FOR POLYPOIDAL CHOROIDAL VASCULOPATHY: One-Year Results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the efficacy of a treat-and-extend regimen (TER) using ranibizumab to treat polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV).
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 29 patients with PCV, who had been treated with a TER for 1 year. The primary outcome was the proportion of eyes that did not lose ≥3 best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) lines. The number of intravitreal injections and recurrences as well as the maximum treatment interval without recurrence were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean BCVA improved from 0.64 ± 0.42 logMAR (median, 20/80) at baseline to 0.30 ± 0.31 logMAR (median, 20/30) at 12 months (P < 0.001). The mean central subfield macular thickness improved from 307.0 ± 70.2 μm to 237.5 ± 64.4 μm (P < 0.001). None of the subjects lost ≥3 lines, and 15 (51.7%) gained ≥3 lines. The mean number of injections was 7.0. The mean maximum treatment interval without recurrence was 10.0 weeks. After the loading phase, 12 eyes (41.4%) showed no recurrence. Seven eyes (24.1%) demonstrated disease activity at 12 months, and 4 (13.8%) of them were never dry during the entire 12-month follow-up duration.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The TER effectively improved visual acuity in PCV while reducing the number of injections.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Ophthalmology, School of Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan, South Korea; †Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, South Korea; and ‡Research Institute for Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Kang Yeun
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Pak
authors.forename: Sung Who
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Ik Soo
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Byon
authors.forename: Ji Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011127:Polyps / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000069579:Ranibizumab / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; 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; D000069579:Ranibizumab