To evaluate the 12-month outcomes of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment for patients with retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP).
MethodsRetrospective review of medical records was performed for 33 patients (33 eyes) who were diagnosed with RAP. All patients were initially treated with three consecutive intravitreal anti-VEGF injections after diagnosis. Additional treatment was performed when the recurrence of exudation was noted. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was measured before the first injection and at 3, 6, and 12 months after the first injection. The value measured before the treatment was compared with those measured after treatment.
ResultsThe patients received an average of 4.2 ± 1.7 intravitreal anti-VEGF injections during the 12-month follow-up period. The logarithm of minimal angle of resolution (log MAR) values of BCVA before the first injection and at 3, 6, and 12 months after the first injections were 0.76 ± 0.49, 0.55 ± 0.35, 0.67 ± 0.41, and 0.70 ± 0.50, respectively. BCVA was significantly improved at 3 and 6 months ( p < 0.001 and p = 0.037) compared to that measured before the first injection. However, there was no significant difference between BCVA before the first injection and 12 months after the first injection ( p = 0.590). At 12 months of follow-up, 29 eyes (87.9%) showed stable (<2 log MAR lines of change) or improved (≥2 log MAR lines of improvement) BCVA.
ConclusionsAnti-VEGF therapy was found to be beneficial in both normalizing macular thickness and in improving or maintaining visual acuity in the majority of patients with RAP.