ASSOCIATION BETWEEN RETINAL PIGMENT EPITHELIUM TEAR AND ANTI-VASCULAR ENDOTHELIAL GROWTH FACTOR THERAPY

Purpose: To identify the prevalence of retinal pigment epithelium tear (RPET) after antivascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy and determine the efficacy of continued anti-VEGF therapy in patients with RPET. Methods: All relevant clinical trials and observational studies in several online databases were screened. The main outcomes were the incidence of RPET after anti-VEGF therapy and changes in visual acuity for patients with RPET treated with continued anti-VEGF. Results: The pooled incidence of RPET after anti-VEGF therapy from 24 studies with 17,354 patients was 1.9% (95% CI: 1.32.7). Most new RPET cases were concentrated in the first month at baseline or after the first injection during anti-VEGF therapy and gradually decreased by the subsequent month or injection. 13 studies with 157 patients reported that for patients who received anti-VEGF therapy after RPET, their pooled best-corrected visual acuity improved, but did not reach a significant level (standardized mean differences 0.34; 95% CI: -0.03 to 0.71). Conclusion: The incidence of RPET after anti-VEGF therapy is low. The intravitreal anti-VEGF injection may accelerate this process. For patients with RPET, maintenance of anti-VEGF therapy ensures visual acuity stability.