FIBROVASCULAR PIGMENT EPITHELIAL DETACHMENT IS A RISK FACTOR FOR LONG-TERM VISUAL DECAY IN NEOVASCULAR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERETION

Background: The individual outcome of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor treatment in neovascular age-related macular degeneration is variable. To investigate the prognostic value of spectral domain optical coherence tomography structures for best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) outcome, volumetric analysis of spectral domain optical coherence tomography structures was performed in neovascular age-related macular degeneration correlated with BCVA after 24 months. Methods: At the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Cologne, Germany, 75 patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration were analyzed prospectively over 24 months. Patients received three initial consecutive monthly intravitreal ranibizumab injections followed by monthly spectral domain optical coherence tomography controls. Therapy was continued as a pro re nata regimen. Volumetric analysis of spectral domain optical coherence tomography images was performed using commercially available software (3D-Doctor). Results: Subretinal tissue, subretinal fluid, serous pigment epithelial detachment, and fibrovascular pigment epithelial detachment (FPED) were identified. By contrast to all other structures, FPED did not respond to ranibizumab therapy. Volume of FPED at baseline and after the loading phase correlated most with impaired BCVA after 24 months (r = -0.0215, P = 0.9263 [subretinal tissue]; r = -0.3120, P = 0.0216 [subretinal fluid]; r = -0.0757, P = 0.6470 [serous pigment epithelial detachment]; r = -0.4182, P = 0.0111 (FPED baseline); r = -0.4768; P = 0.0002 [FPED after loading phase]). Conclusion: Of all identified structures, FPED was most deleterious for BCVA after 24 months. The knowledge about possible BCVA course can influence the decision for more intense treatment regimens.