Objective: To assess the functional and anatomical effects of transitioning to conbercept intravitreal injection (IVC) treatment in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) who had inadequate responses to prior anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injections.
Methods: We retrospectively included eyes with persistent DME after at least 3 injections of intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR). The analysis included the assessment of best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT) during 6 months after the switch.
Results: A total of 30 patients (30 eyes) were included. CMT dropped sharply from 437.8± 40.67μm at baseline to 363.59± 45.09,312.52 ± 39.15, 278.51 ± 37.92, and 292.59 ± 38.09 after 1, 2, 3 and 6 months of IVC, respectively (p < 0.001). BCVA in log MAR units was significantly improved from 0.73± 0.15 at baseline to 0.50± 0.09,0.46± 0.72, 0.40± 0.06 and 0.48± 0.04 after 1, 2, 3 and 6 months, respectively (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Switching to Conbercept effectively improved visual and anatomical structure in DME patients who had not responded satisfactorily to previous anti-VEGF injections.
Keywords: diabetic macular edema, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor, central macular thickness, best corrected visual acuity, DME, CMT, anti-VEGF, BCVA