Real-World Outcomes of Anti-VEGF Treatment for Retinal Vein Occlusion in Portugal.
OBJECTIVE
Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is an important cause of visual disability in the modern world. We aim to evaluate the real-world outcomes of patients with RVO treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in Portugal.


METHODS
We performed a retrospective, observational, multicenter study including 8 centers across Portugal and 200 patients treated with either ranibizumab or bevacizumab. Data were collected at 3 time points: time of diagnosis (0 time point) and 6 and 12 months after initiating treatment. Demographic and clinical data were collected.


RESULTS
Median visual acuity (VA) and central macular thickness (CMT) improved in the branch RVO (BRVO), central RVO (CRVO), bevacizumab, and ranibizumab groups at 6 and 12 months compared to baseline, with CMT improving further only in the CRVO and ranibizumab groups between 6 and 12 months (p = 0.002 and p = 0.001, respectively). The CMT was lower in the ranibizumab group compared to the bevacizumab group both at 6 and 12 months (p<0.02). Median CMT improved in both the good and poor baseline VA groups at 6 and 12 months compared to baseline (p<0.001). Median VA only improved for the group with poor baseline VA at 6 and 12 months of follow-up (p<0.001). Regression analysis identified several baseline variables as predictors of visual outcomes at 6 and 12 months, with different results depending on the analyzed group.


CONCLUSIONS
Both treatments were effective, although less effective than results reported in clinical trials. The morphologic response was better with ranibizumab compared to bevacizumab, although functionally there were no differences.
1 Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital de Santa Maria, Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Norte, Lisbon - Portugal.|2 Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon - Portugal.
Sara
S
Vaz-Pereira
3 AIBILI Association for Innovation and Biomedical Research on Light and Image, Coimbra - Portugal.
Inês P
IP
Marques
4 Department of Ophthalmology, Centro Hospitalar do Baixo Vouga, Aveiro - Portugal.
João
J
Matias
5 Department of Ophthalmology, Centro Hospitalar Médio Tejo, EPE, Torres Novas - Portugal.
Filipe
F
Mira
6 Department of Ophthalmology, Centro Hospitalar Vila Nova de Gaia e Espinho, Vila Nova de Gaia - Portugal.
Lígia
L
Ribeiro
7 Department of Ophthalmology, Centro Hospitalar de Lisboa Central, Lisbon - Portugal.|8 Department of Ophthalmology, Nova Medical School, Lisbon - Portugal.
Rita
R
Flores
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068258:Bevacizumab / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008266:Macula Lutea / Q000473:pathology; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011174:Portugal; D000069579:Ranibizumab / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D000069579:Ranibizumab
Anti-VEGF; Retinal vein occlusion; Visual prognosis