Impact of COVID-19 on a real-world treat-and-extend regimen with aflibercept for neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Objective: To assess the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on injection intervals among patients treated for neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Participants: Patients treated at a single practice using a treat-and-extend regimen with intravitreal aflibercept between December 2018 and April 2021.

Methods: The primary outcome was the change in injection intervals. Secondary outcomes included differences in best-recorded visual acuity (BRVA) and central subfield thickness (CST). Associations were evaluated with linear mixed-effects modelling.

Results: This study included 1839 injections from 185 eyes (141 patients). The median (interquartile range) injection intervals in the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 periods were 60 (42-70) and 70 (49-90) days, respectively. The pandemic was associated with a mean injection interval lengthening of 7.2 days (P < 0.001), a decrease in BRVA of 3.1 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study letters (P < 0.001), and a reduction in CST of 14.7 μm (P = 0.003). The presence of exudative intraretinal fluid was associated with a reduction in treatment intervals of 11.1 days (P < 0.001), a reduction in BRVA of 1.9 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study letters (P < 0.001), and an increase in CST of 52.4 μm (P < 0.001). The presence of subretinal fluid was associated with a reduction in treatment intervals of 8.5 days (P < 0.001) and an increase in CST of 21.6 μm (P < 0.001).

Conclusions: This real-world study estimated that the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pandemic resulted in an injection extension of 7.2 days with associated decreases in BRVA and CST that are unlikely clinically significant on a population basis. This builds on evidence suggesting that long-term vascular endothelial growth factor suppression can facilitate meaningful interval extensions while maintaining visual acuity.