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Does completion time of the initiation phase of anti-vascular growth factor affect visual and anatomical outcomes?: The MARMASIA study group report No.5

Eye volume 39, pages 2579–2583 (2025)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Objectives

To demonstrate effect of completion time of initiation phase of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents on visual and anatomical outcomes in diabetic macular oedema patients.

Methods

This multicentre, retrospective, comparative study included a subgroup of patients from MARMASIA Study. Two groups were formed according to completion time of initiation phase of anti-VEGF treatment as ideal and extended completion time groups (ICT and ECT groups). Changes in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) as ETDRS letter score, central macular thickness (CMT) were compared between the groups at 3rd, 6th, 12th months. At 12th month injection, visit numbers were also evaluated.

Results

A total of 328 eyes of 239 patients were included. Ninety-five eyes were in ICT, 233 eyes were in ECT group. Mean BCVA was significantly better than the baseline at 3rd, 6th, 12th months in ICT and ECT groups (p < 0.001 for all). Mean change in BCVA at months 3, 6, 12 was significantly better in the ICT group than the ECT group (p < 0.001, p = 0.003, p = 0.03, respectively). The mean CMT from baseline to at 3rd, 6th, 12th months was significantly decreased in the ICT and ECT groups (p < 0.0001 for all). Change in mean CMT was significantly higher in the ICT group than in the ECT group at 3rd, 6th, 12th months (p < 0.0001 for all). Mean number of injections, visits were not significantly different between groups (p = 0.2).

Conclusions

Initiation phase injections must be completed within a maximum of 70 days (between injections 28 + 7 days) for better visual and anatomical outcomes.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Health Sciences, Ümraniye Training and Research Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology, Istanbul, Turkey

    Tuğba Aydoğan Gezginaslan, Işılay Özsoy Saygın, Utku Limon & Erdinç Bozkurt

  2. Memorial Şişli Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology, Istanbul, Turkey

    Abdullah Özkaya

  3. Marmara University School of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Istanbul, Turkey

    Mehmet Orkun Sevik, Aslan Aykut & Özlem Şahin

  4. Kocaeli University School of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Kocaeli, Turkey

    Ecem Önder Tokuç, Ece Başaran Emengen & Levent Karabaş

  5. University of Health Sciences, Kartal Dr. Lütfi Kırdar City Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology, Istanbul, Turkey

    Işıl Kutlutürk Karagöz & Hatice Selen Kanar

  6. University of Health Sciences, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Training and Research Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology, Istanbul, Turkey

    Banu Açıkalın Öncel, Fatih Bilgehan Kaplan & Ayşe Demirciler Sönmez

  7. Sakarya University School of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Sakarya, Turkey

    Erkan Çelik

  8. University of Health Sciences, Derince Training and Research Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology, Kocaeli, Turkey

    Uğur Yayla

  9. University of Health Sciences, Haydarpaşa Numune Training and Research Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology, Istanbul, Turkey

    Nursal Melda Yenerel, Özlem Aydın Öncü, Esra Türkseven Kumral & Nimet Yeşim Erçalık

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  1. Tuğba Aydoğan Gezginaslan
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Contributions

Concept and design: TAG, AÖ, LK. Acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data: All authors. Drafting of the manuscript: TAG, AÖ, MOS. Critical review of the manuscript for important intellectual content: All authors. Supervision: LK, ÖŞ.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tuğba Aydoğan Gezginaslan.

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Aydoğan Gezginaslan, T., Özkaya, A., Sevik, M.O. et al. Does completion time of the initiation phase of anti-vascular growth factor affect visual and anatomical outcomes?: The MARMASIA study group report No.5. Eye 39, 2579–2583 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-025-03928-6

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