FLUID RESOLUTION WITHOUT SHORTENING INJECTION INTERVAL DURING SUBRETINAL FLUID-TOLERATING TREATMENT IN NEOVASCULAR AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION

Purpose:To investigate the incidence and factors associated with subretinal fluid (SRF) resolution during SRF-tolerating treatment in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration. Methods:This retrospective study included patients diagnosed with neovascular age-related macular degeneration who exhibited fovea-involving residual SRF persisting for at least 6 months during aflibercept treatment. Patients who showed SRF resolution despite maintaining the injection intervals were included in the resolution group, while those who exhibited persisting SRF throughout the study period were included in the nonresolution group. The incidence and associated factors of SRF resolution without reducing the injection interval were evaluated. Furthermore, the frequency of successfully extending the injection intervals while maintaining SRF resolution was identified. Results:In total, 65 patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration were included (32 and 33 in the resolution and nonresolution groups, respectively). When compared with the nonresolution group, the resolution group showed a lower mean height of SRF (67.7 +/- 33.4 vs. 109.9 +/- 44.9 mu m, P < 0.001) and a lower maximum height of SRF (138.3 +/- 88.6 vs. 176.2 +/- 76.9 <mu>m, P = 0.034). In multivariate analysis, the mean SRF height (P = 0.001), maximum SRF height (P = 0.006), and interval of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injections (P = 0.023) were significantly associated with the resolution of SRF. In the resolution group, 14 patients (43.8%) successfully expanded the injection interval. Conclusion:During SRF-tolerating treatment for neovascular age-related macular degeneration, a substantial proportion of patients exhibited resolution of fluid without shortening the injection interval. Patients with lesser residual SRF during treatment were more likely to achieve fluid resolution. After SRF resolution, injection intervals can be extended in more than 40% of patients.