High-frequency aflibercept injections in persistent neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: To report the 1-year outcomes of every-4-weeks (Q4W) as-needed aflibercept treatment in resistant neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) patients who had been treated and failed prior bevacizumab or ranibizumab injections, and who also responded poorly to every-8-weeks (Q8W) aflibercept treatment.

Methods: Forty-three eyes of 39 patients with persistent nAMD despite monthly bevacizumab and/or ranibizumab injections and who were switched to Q8W 2-mg aflibercept injections, but showed persistence of fluid were included. Patients were treated with as-needed Q4W aflibercept injections with monthly monitoring. Maximum retinal thickness (MRT), central macular thickness (CMT), maximum pigment epithelial detachment height (PED) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) were assessed and compared to baseline when high-frequency aflibercept was initiated.

Results: A mean of 8 (interquartile range, 4-11) Q4W injections were given during the follow-up. MRT and CMT significantly decreased at all follow-up visits (p < 0.05); however, there was no significant change in maximum PED height (p > 0.05) at any visit. Mean BCVA was 0.38 ± 0.28 (logMAR) (≈20/63, Snellen) at baseline, and 0.4 ± 0.34 (logMAR) (≈20/76, Snellen) at 1 year (p = 0.76). Seventy-two percent of eyes maintained a final BCVA of 20/63 or better. Twelve eyes (28 %) had some subretinal scar tissue formation and 5 eyes (11.6 %) had evidence of atrophy at 1 year.

Conclusion: A stepwise algorithm with Q4W as-needed aflibercept treatment led to anatomic improvement in previously treated eyes which failed other therapies, including aflibercept every 8 weeks. Lack of visual improvement may be due to a ceiling effect as our eyes generally had good visual acuity.