Study compares aflibercept versus ranibizumab as second line treatment for refractory DME

Outcomes after injections of either aflibercept or ranibizumab in patients with refractory DME treated initially with bevacizumab injections were similar, according to a study.

In this retrospective cohort study, 80 eyes of 75 patients with center-involved DME of ≥300 μm thickness after bevacizumab intravitreal injections were treated with ranibizumab; 80 eyes of 72 patients were treated with aflibercept.

The initial injections of bevacizumab varied significantly between the treatment groups. There was no significant difference in median change of the central macular thickness between the groups after 3 injections. Improvement in best-corrected distance visual acuity was not significant between the groups.

Dry macula was found in 1 eye in the group treated with ranibizumab and 14 in the aflibercept treatment groups.

Reference
Alsaedi NG, Alselaimy RM, Alshamrani AA, et al. Aflibercept versus Ranibizumab as a Second Line Therapy After Bevacizumab for Diabetic Macular Edema. Clin Ophthalmol. 2021;15:2975-2980. https://doi.org/10.2147/OPTH.S316271