Vision improvement is long-lasting with treatment for blinding blood
vessel condition
Date:
April 21, 2022
Source:
NIH/National Eye Institute
Summary:
New research shows that a treatment for retinal vein occlusion
yields long-lasting vision gains, with visual acuity remaining
significantly above baseline at five years. However, many patients
require ongoing treatment.
FULL STORY ==========================================================================
New research shows that a treatment for retinal vein occlusion yields
long- lasting vision gains, with visual acuity remaining significantly
above baseline at five years. However, many patients require ongoing
treatment. Retinal vein occlusion is one of the most common blinding
conditions in the United States; without treatment, central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), the most severe type of retinal vein occlusion often
leads to significant and permanent vision loss.
A report on five-year outcomes of the Study of Comparative Treatments
for Retinal Vein Occlusion 2 (SCORE2), was published April 21 in American Journal of Ophthalmology. SCORE2 was funded in part by the National Eye Institute (NEI), a part of the National Institutes of Health.
========================================================================== Retinal vein occlusion is caused by a blockage of the veins carrying
blood away from the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of
the eye. This blockage can lead to macular edema where fluid becomes
trapped within and under the retina, leading to rapid and severe loss
of visual acuity. Without treatment, this condition typically leads
to permanent loss of vision. The most effective treatment, injections
of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs, helps control
blood vessel leakage and swelling in the retina.
"While anti-VEGF therapy is associated with significant improvement
in both retinal swelling and visual acuity in patients with central or hemi-retinal vein occlusion, our findings show that most of the patients followed still required treatment to control the macular edema for
at least five years," said Ingrid U. Scott, M.D., M.P.H., Penn State
College of Medicine, Hershey, chair of the study. "This demonstrates
the importance of continued monitoring of these patients." In 2017,
SCORE2 clinical trial investigators reported that two types of anti-
VEGF treatment were equally effective at improving visual acuity in
people with macular edema due to CRVO or hemi-retinal vein occlusion
(HRVO). CRVO affects the entire retina, while HRVO generally affects about
half of the retina. Half of the study participants had been given Avastin (bevacizumab) while the other half received Eylea (aflibercept). Both
drugs were administered by injection once per month for six months. At
the six-month mark, the vision of participants in both groups had,
on average, improved over three lines on an eye chart.
As detailed in this new report, the study investigators followed SCORE2 participants for five years, collecting information about their visual
acuity, treatments, and whether their macular edema had resolved. After
the initial 12- month study period, participants were treated at their physician's discretion.
Most physicians reduced the frequency of anti-VEGF injections and some
switched their patients to the other anti-VEGF drug. At five years, many participants had lost some visual acuity when compared to their acuity
at the 12-month mark; however, they retained on average three lines of improvement, compared to their acuity at the beginning of the study.
"It was surprising to us that despite many participants still needing
treatment after five years, their visual acuity outcome remained very
good," said Michael Ip, M.D., co-chair of the study from Doheny Eye
Institute, University of California Los Angeles. "In comparison to
this treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration, where initial
vision improvements fade over time, these results are quite favorable."
"This five-year study tells us a lot about what's happening with
retinal vein occlusion patients in the real world," said Scott. "Prior
to this study, retinal vein occlusion was widely considered an acute
illness. This study shows that RVO is a chronic disease. It also
underscores the importance of disease monitoring and individualized
treatment to achieve the best possible vision." "The SCORE2 study
provides invaluable data to guide clinicians and their patients toward
informed decisions regarding treatment for retinal vein occlusion,"
said NEI Director Michael F. Chiang, M.D.
The SCORE2 study was funded by NEI and Research to Prevent
Blindness. Study drugs were provided by Regeneron, Inc and Allergan,
Inc. Clinical trial number: NCT01969708.
========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by NIH/National_Eye_Institute. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.
========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Ingrid U. Scott, Paul C. VanVeldhuisen, Neal L. Oden, Michael S. Ip,
Barbara A. Blodi. Month 60 Outcomes after Treatment Initiation
with Anti- VEGF Therapy for Macular Edema due to Central or
Hemi-Retinal Vein Occlusion. American Journal of Ophthalmology,
2022; DOI: 10.1016/ j.ajo.2022.04.001 ==========================================================================
Link to news story:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/04/220421105507.htm
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