Effects of Intravitreal Aflibercept on Retinal Function and Improvement of Macular Edema Associated With Diabetic Retinopathy

Overview

Journal Transl Vis Sci Technol

Specialties Biomedical Engineering
Ophthalmology

Date 2020 Oct 26

PMID 33101780

Citations 1

Authors

Atsushi Ichio

Masahiko Sugimoto

Hisashi Matsubara

Daiki Mochida

Kumiko Kato

Mineo Kondo

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the effectiveness of intravitreal aflibercept (IVA) on the retinal function in eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME).

Methods: Twenty-five eyes of 25 patients with DME were treated with three consecutive monthly IVA injections. The retinal sensitivities (RS) within the central 10° were determined by microperimetry (MP). The central subfield macular thickness (CMT) was determined by optical coherence tomography, and the implicit times (IT) and amplitudes (Amp) of the flicker electroretinograms (ERGs) were determined from the ERGs elicited and recorded by the RETeval. The number of microaneurysms (MAs) was counted in the fundus photographs. The assessments were made before the IVA injections (pre-IVA) and one week after the IVA injections (post-IVA). The correlations between the reduction ratio of the MA numbers/CMT and RS/IT/Amp were evaluated.

Results: The mean RS improved from 19.9 ± 5.9 dB to 22.0 ± 5.8dB, the CMT decreased from 485.7 ± 90.6 µm to 376.9 ± 81.6 µm, and the number of MAs decreased from 49.6 ± 33.2 to 24.8 ± 18.1 after the IVA injection (all < 0.01). The changes in the IT from 31.3 ± 3.3 ms to 31.5 ± 3.1 ms and the Amp from 12.2 ± 5.5 µV to 11.3 ± 6.1µV post-IVA were not significant. A significant correlation was found between the relative changes in the CMT and RS ( = -0.43; = 0.02), the MAs and RS ( = -0.38; = 0.03). No significant correlation was observed between the relative changes of the number of MAs/CMT and IT/Amp.

Conclusions: IVA can improve both central retinal function and anatomical conformation.

Translational Relevance: A new aspect of aflibercept will be useful for DME treatment.

Citing Articles

Intravitreal aflibercept for diabetic macular edema: structural and functional improvements.

Zhang C, Chen T, Jia R, Gong D, Liu Z, Wu C Front Med (Lausanne). 2025; 12:1547977.

PMID: 40046923 PMC: 11880015. DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1547977.

A Diagnostic Model for Screening Diabetic Retinopathy Using the Hand-Held Electroretinogram Device RETeval.

Deng X, Li Z, Zeng P, Wang J, Liang J, Lan Y Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2021; 12:632457.

PMID: 33912134 PMC: 8074966. DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.632457.

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