Comparison of Intravitreal Ranibizumab and Aflibercept for the Treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema: A Real-World Study

Abstract Purpose: To compare the visual and anatomic outcomes of intravitreal ranibizumab versus aflibercept in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) in a real-world study.Methods: This is a single-center retrospective comparative study of treatment-naïve patients who received intravitreal ranibizumab or aflibercept administration for DME for at least 12 months on an as needed regimen following three-monthly loading doses. The primary outcomes of the study were the mean change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT), central macular volume (CMV). Factors to potentially affect these parameters were also analyzed.Results: A total of 100 eyes (66 patients) were included in the study. Fifty two eyes received ranibizumab and 48 received aflibercept injections. While the decrease in mean CMT at the 4th-month visit was significantly higher in the aflibercept-treated group than in the ranibizumab-treated group (p=0.02), there was no difference between the two groups at the end of the one-year follow-up (p=0.25). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of change in mean CMV during the follow-up. (p=0.26, p=0.27 at 4 and 12 months, respectively). The mean number of injections were also similar between groups (4.5 ± 1 vs. 4.6 ± 1.1 respectively, p=0.63).Conclusion: In a real-world setting, ranibizumab and aflibercept were both found to be effective in the first-line treatment of DME. Patients with DME who received fewer injections in the real-world could achieve visual and anatomical results comparable to randomized controlled trials participants.