title: Comparison of pro re nata versus Bimonthly Injection of Intravitreal Aflibercept for Typical Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to clarify the 1-year outcomes of pro re nata (PRN) and bimonthly intravitreal injections of aflibercept (IVA) for typical neovascular age-related macular degeneration (tAMD) after the initial 3 monthly IVA.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a prospective, interventional study. Fifty-eight treatment-naïve patients with tAMD were randomly assigned to the PRN (30 patients) or the bimonthly (28 patients) treatment group. Both groups initially received 3 monthly IVA. Visual acuity, central macular retinal thickness (CRT), and central choroidal thickness (CCT) were evaluated at 12 months. Subanalysis was performed to identify factors associated with the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  BCVA was significantly improved only in the bimonthly group at 12 months. CRT and CCT were significantly decreased in both groups. Subanalysis showed that the only factor associated with BCVA improvement at 12 months was the existence of pigment epithelial detachment at baseline.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BCVA showed significant improvement only in the bimonthly group but not in the PRN group at 12 months.
authors.affiliation: Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Visual Sciences, Nihon University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryusaburo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Miho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haruyama
authors.forename: Akiyuki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Furuya
authors.forename: Mitsuko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yuzawa
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002829:Choroid / Q000473:pathology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008266:Macula Lutea / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013997:Time Factors; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity; D057135:Wet Macular Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C533178:aflibercept; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor
keywords: Aflibercept; Bimonthly injection; Typical neovascular age-related macular degeneration; pro re nata injection