COVID-19 may not impact treatment outcomes of Macular Degeneration

A recent retrospective study evaluated the impact of changing treatment patterns before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic on best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). The findings are published in the Acta Ophthalmologica.

The study analyzed data from consecutive nAMD patients between 2019 and 2021. Researchers collected demographic information, BCVA measurements, and data regarding intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injections and clinic visits.

A total of 1652 eyes from 1652 nAMD patients were included in the study. Of these, 850 eyes were assessed in 2019 (pre-COVID-19), 630 eyes in 2020 (during COVID-19), and 974 eyes in 2021 (post-COVID-19). A notable trend emerged during the pandemic period. The mean number of anti-VEGF injections administered during the COVID-19 period was significantly lower than both the pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 periods (5.55 compared to 6.13 and 6.60, respectively, p < 0.01).

Researchers also observed a consistent decrease in the ratio of injections per patient per month during the COVID-19 period compared to the years before and after. This decline was particularly pronounced in March and April of 2020, reaching a ratio of 0.4, compared to 0.65 in 2019 and 0.62 in 2021 (p < 0.01).

Despite these changes in treatment frequency, the study found that BCVA outcomes remained stable. Baseline BCVA, the number of injections, gender, and age were identified as significant predictors of final BCVA.

The findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant reduction in the number of intravitreal anti-VEGF injections administered to nAMD patients. However, these changes in treatment patterns did not result in a significant impact on BCVA outcomes. The stability in BCVA throughout this period underscores the resilience of nAMD patients and the adaptability of their treatment plans.

The identification of predictors for final visual outcomes, such as baseline BCVA and the number of injections, provides valuable insights for healthcare providers managing nAMD patients. These findings can inform treatment decisions and help optimize patient care in both normal and pandemic times.

Source:

Barequet, D., Shor, R., Segal, O., Greenbaum, E., Trivizki, O., Loewenstein, A., & Rabina, G. (2023). Treatment patterns and visual acuity change of AMD patients, before, during and after the COVID‐19 pandemic lockdowns: A large cohort. In Acta Ophthalmologica. Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1111/aos.15756