Treat and extend for PCV
Reviewed by Saruban Pasu

This South Korean study investigated the efficacy of a treat and extend regimen (TER) using ranibizumab to treat polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). Twenty-nine eyes were included in this retrospective case note review. Of these, five eyes had been treated with bevacizumab more than six months prior to the start of this study, while 24 eyes were treatment-naïve. The mean VA at baseline was 0.64, 0.39 at three months, 0.37 at six months and 0.30 at 12 months. The mean central subfoveal macular thickness also improved at each time point. At the 12-month follow-up, none of the subjects had lost >=3 lines of BCVA, while 51.7% had gained >=3 lines. The mean number of intravitreal injections was 7.0, while the mean maximum treatment interval without worsening was 10.0 weeks. In 12 of the eyes (41.4%) no disease recurrence was observed after the three loading injections, and their treatment interval was extended to 12 weeks. Disease recurrence was observed once in 15 eyes (51.7%) and two times in two eyes (6.9%). Comparing the results of previous studies to those of the present study, the TER appears to yield better functional outcomes, despite the greater number of injections required compared to the PRN regimen, most likely because the proactive injections of the TER prevent recurrence.

Treat-and-extend regimen using ranibizumab for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy: one-year results.
Pak KY, Park SW, Byon IS, Lee JE.
RETINA
2017;37(3):561-7.