TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessment of optic nerve cup-to-disk ratio changes in patients receiving multiple intravitreal injections of antivascular endothelial growth factor agents
AU - Seth, Rajeev K.
AU - Salim, Sarwat
AU - Shields, M. Bruce
AU - Adelman, Ron A.
PY - 2009/7
Y1 - 2009/7
N2 - Purpose: To assess whether the transient intraocular pressure rise, frequent intraocular pressure fluctuations, or antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) effects of repeated intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF agents can lead to changes in the optic nerve vertical cup-to-disk ratio (C/D). Methods: Patients with a known history of glaucoma and those receiving triamcinolone acetonide were excluded from the study. Fundus photographs were cropped to optic disk images only, which were then randomized and independently graded by two glaucoma specialists. In patients who received treatments in only one eye, the fellow eye was used as a control. Results: Twenty-three eyes of 21 patients met inclusion criteria. The mean change in C/D was -0.012 (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.053 to 0.029) for the treated group and -0.006 (95% CI, -0.106 to 0.095) for the control group, with no statistically significant difference (P = 0.90). The mean change in C/D for eyes receiving ≤5 injections (n = 9) was 0.003 (95% CI, -0.089 to 0.095) in the treated group and 0.054 (95% CI, -0.033 to 0.142) in the control group, with no statistically significant difference (P = 0.33). In eyes receiving >5 injections (n = 14), the mean change in C/D was -0.021 (95% CI, -0.095 to 0.052) in the treated group and -0.057 (95% CI, -0.231 to 0.116) in the control group, with no statistically significant difference (P = 0.70). Conclusion: There was no statistically significant change in the vertical C/D of optic nerves in patients receiving multiple intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF agents, regardless of whether they received fewer or more than five total injections. This suggests that the short-term intraocular pressure rise and frequent intraocular pressure fluctuation, as well as the anti-VEGF properties of these drugs, do not adversely change the optic nerve C/D. Additional prospective studies are warranted to confirm these conclusions.
AB - Purpose: To assess whether the transient intraocular pressure rise, frequent intraocular pressure fluctuations, or antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) effects of repeated intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF agents can lead to changes in the optic nerve vertical cup-to-disk ratio (C/D). Methods: Patients with a known history of glaucoma and those receiving triamcinolone acetonide were excluded from the study. Fundus photographs were cropped to optic disk images only, which were then randomized and independently graded by two glaucoma specialists. In patients who received treatments in only one eye, the fellow eye was used as a control. Results: Twenty-three eyes of 21 patients met inclusion criteria. The mean change in C/D was -0.012 (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.053 to 0.029) for the treated group and -0.006 (95% CI, -0.106 to 0.095) for the control group, with no statistically significant difference (P = 0.90). The mean change in C/D for eyes receiving ≤5 injections (n = 9) was 0.003 (95% CI, -0.089 to 0.095) in the treated group and 0.054 (95% CI, -0.033 to 0.142) in the control group, with no statistically significant difference (P = 0.33). In eyes receiving >5 injections (n = 14), the mean change in C/D was -0.021 (95% CI, -0.095 to 0.052) in the treated group and -0.057 (95% CI, -0.231 to 0.116) in the control group, with no statistically significant difference (P = 0.70). Conclusion: There was no statistically significant change in the vertical C/D of optic nerves in patients receiving multiple intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF agents, regardless of whether they received fewer or more than five total injections. This suggests that the short-term intraocular pressure rise and frequent intraocular pressure fluctuation, as well as the anti-VEGF properties of these drugs, do not adversely change the optic nerve C/D. Additional prospective studies are warranted to confirm these conclusions.
KW - Intraocular pressure
KW - Intravitreal injection
KW - Optic nerve
KW - Optic neuropathy
KW - Pegaptanib sodium
KW - Ranibizumab
KW - Vascular endothelial growth factor
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U2 - 10.1097/IAE.0b013e3181a91dfd
DO - 10.1097/IAE.0b013e3181a91dfd
M3 - Article
C2 - 19584654
AN - SCOPUS:68249090015
SN - 0275-004X
VL - 29
SP - 956
EP - 959
JO - Retina
JF - Retina
IS - 7
ER -