Long-Term Visual Outcomes and Morphologic Biomarkers of Vision Loss in Eyes With Diabetic Macular Edema Treated With Anti-VEGF Therapy

PURPOSE: To analyze the morphological characteristics , long-term visual outcomes in eyes with diabetic retinopathy (DR) and diabetic macular edema (DME) treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy. DESIGN: Retrospective clinical cohort study. METHODS: Patients with a long-term follow-up and evidence of resolved DME in at least 1 visit (study visit) after 5 years of follow-up after the initiation of anti-VEGF therapy were included. At the study visit, structural optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans were reviewed for qualitative features reflecting a distress of the neuroretina or retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). A quantitative topographical assessment of the inner and outer retinal thicknesses was also provided. RESULTS: A total of 61 eyes (50 patients) were included and were divided into 2 subgroups according to visual acuity (VA) at the study visit, yielding a group of 24 eyes with a VA < 20/40 (poor/intermediate vision group) , 37 eyes with a VA >= 20/40 (good vision group). The external limiting membrane (ELM) and RPE bands were more frequently disrupted or absent in the poor/intermediate vision group (P = .003 and P = .019). Similarly, disorganization of retinal inner layers was more prevalent in the poor/intermediate vision group (P = .013). The foveal and parafoveal outer retinal thicknesses were reduced in eyes with poor/intermediate vision (P = .022 and P = .044). Multivariate stepwise linear regression analysis demonstrated that VA was associated with appearances of the RPE and ELM (P < .0001 and P = .048), foveal and parafoveal outer retinal thicknesses (P = .046 and P = .035). CONCLUSIONS: Modifications in the outer retina and RPE represent OCT biomarkers of long-term visual outcomes in eyes with DME treated with anti-VEGF. ((C) 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Automated summary

This study aimed to analyze the morphological characteristics and long-term visual outcomes in eyes with diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema treated with anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy, finding that changes in the outer retina and RPE are OCT biomarkers of long-term visual outcomes in eyes with DME treated with anti-VEGF.