title: Intravitreal Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Drugs for Retinal Angiomatous Proliferation in Real-Life Practice.
abstract: To describe the outcomes of intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the treatment of retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP) in real-life practice in 7 Italian centers under the Progetto Luce initiative.
  
  
  
  Clinical data of 95 eyes of 95 patients affected by RAP, regularly followed up and treated with either intravitreal ranibizumab or bevacizumab over 12 months, were examined. After a loading phase of 3 consecutive injections, retreatments were administered following a pro-re-nata regimen on the basis of the persistence or the recurrence of subretinal/intraretinal fluid on optical coherence tomography, or leakage on fluorescein angiography.
  
  
  
  Overall, the mean best corrected visual acuity changed from 0.66 to 0.53 LogMAR (P: 0.0003); 36.8% of eyes gained at least 3 ETDRS lines, whereas 13.7% lost >3 lines at the end of the follow-up. Mean central retinal thickness improved from 384 μm at baseline to 262 μm at the 12-month examination (P < 0.001). A serous pigment epithelium detachment (PED) was identified in 68.4% of eyes at baseline, and it was still detectable in 30.5% at the end of follow-up. The mean number of injections was 4.4 over the follow-up. A significantly greater proportion of eyes showed PED resolution in the subgroup treated with ranibizumab (P < 0.001).
  
  
  
  Intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment in routine clinical practice allows a significant improvement in visual function in patients affected by RAP. A limited number of anti-VEGF injections are generally required in most cases.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Ophthalmology, San Raffaele Hospital, Università Vita e Salute , Milano, Italy .
authors.forename: Maurizio Battaglia
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Parodi
authors.affiliation: 2 Section of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgical and Morphological Sciences, University of Insubria , Varese-Como, Italy .
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Donati
authors.affiliation: 3 Eye Clinic, Department of Neurological and Vision Sciences, University of Brescia , Brescia, Italy .
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Semeraro
authors.affiliation: 3 Eye Clinic, Department of Neurological and Vision Sciences, University of Brescia , Brescia, Italy .
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Danzi
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Ophthalmology, San Raffaele Hospital, Università Vita e Salute , Milano, Italy .
authors.forename: Ugo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Introini
authors.affiliation: 4 Ophthalmology Clinic, Clinical and Community Sciences, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, University of Milan , Milan, Italy .
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Viola
authors.affiliation: 5 Eye Clinic, Department of Clinical Science "Luigi Sacco," Sacco Hospital, University of Milan , Milan, Italy .
authors.forename: Ferdinando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bottoni
authors.affiliation: 6 Department of Ophthalmology, Desenzano del Garda Hospital , Desenzano del Garda, Italy .
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pucci
authors.affiliation: 6 Department of Ophthalmology, Desenzano del Garda Hospital , Desenzano del Garda, Italy .
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Musig
authors.affiliation: 7 Department of Ophthalmology, Melegnano Hospital , Milano, Italy .
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pece
authors.affiliation: 2 Section of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgical and Morphological Sciences, University of Insubria , Varese-Como, Italy .
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Azzolini
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068258:Bevacizumab / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000069579:Ranibizumab / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015861:Retinal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D000069579:Ranibizumab
keywords: bevacizumab; optical coherence tomography; ranibizumab; real-life management; retinal angiomatous proliferation