Higher discontinuation rates found in patients with DME with longer anti-VEGF treatment intervals

Patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) who receive anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injections at longer treatment intervals are more likely to discontinue treatment in the following years compared to those on shorter treatment intervals, according to a new study that highlights the importance of optimizing treatment intervals in DME patients to improve long-term treatment persistence.

A total of 1702 eligible patients were included in the study. Patients were categorized based on the injection interval they achieved at 24 months of treatment. The discontinuation rate beyond 24 months and its correlation with treatment intervals were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards models.

The results revealed that the overall discontinuation rate among the eligible patients from 24 to 60 months after treatment initiation was 30%.

Of note, at the 60-month mark, patients who had achieved shorter treatment intervals demonstrated a higher likelihood of remaining on treatment. In the 4-week interval group, 75.3% of patients remained on treatment, while in the >12-week interval group, only 62.1% continued treatment. This marked a significant difference of 13.2% between the 2 groups.

Patients on a treatment interval longer than 12 weeks were found to be twice as likely to discontinue treatment compared to those on an 8-week interval.

Reference
Bakri SJ, Delyfer MN, Grauslund J, et al. Real-World Persistence and Treatment Interval in Patients with Diabetic Macular Edema Treated with Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors in the USA. Ophthalmol Ther. 2023;doi: 10.1007/s40123-023-00750-9. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37347405.