Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29843663›Full record

SynthesisBMC ophthalmology2018

Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor for neovascular age-related macular degeneration: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Chu Luan Nguyen, Lawrence J Oh, Eugene Wong, Joe Wei, Michael Chilov

Open access · goldAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC ophthalmology, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 27 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
27citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
6.3field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

27 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 50 citations in OpenAlex.

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  5. Bilateral choroidal thinning during unilateral aflibercept for neovascular age-related macular degeneration: 5-year mixed-effects analysis.Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie · 2026
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  17. Short-term choroidal vascular changes after aflibercept therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration.Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie · 2021
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Chu Luan NguyenUniversity of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia. chuluannguyen@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4630-6182
Lawrence J OhUniversity of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
Eugene WongUniversity of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
Joe WeiUniversity of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
Michael ChilovUniversity of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia.
The University of Sydney · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTo evaluate the relative efficacy and safety of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) agents for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

methodsSystematic literature review identifying RCTs comparing anti-VEGF agents to another treatment published before June 2016. Efficacy assessed by mean change in best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT) from baseline at up to 2 years followup. Safety assessed by proportions of patients with death, arteriothrombotic and venous thrombotic events, and at least one serious systemic adverse event at up to 2 years of followup.

resultsFifteen RCTs selected for meta-analysis (8320 patients). Two trials compared pegaptanib, and three trials compared ranibizumab versus control. Eight trials compared bevacizumab with ranibizumab. Two trials compared aflibercept with ranibizumab. There were no significant differences between bevacizumab and ranibizumab for BCVA at 1 or 2 years (weighted mean difference = - 0.57, 95% CI - 1.55 to 0.41, P = 0.25 and weighted mean difference = - 0.76, 95% CI - 2.25 to 0.73, P = 0.32, respectively). Ranibizumab was more effective in reducing CMT at 1 year (weighted mean difference = 4.49, 95% CI 1.13 to 7.84, P = 0.009). Risk ratios comparing rates of serious systemic adverse events at 1 and 2 years were slightly out of favour for bevacizumab. Aflibercept compared with ranibizumab demonstrated similar mean change in BCVA, reduction in CMT, and safety at 1 year.

conclusionsBevacizumab and ranibizumab had equivalent efficacy for BCVA, while ranibizumab had greater reduction in CMT and less rate of serious systemic adverse events. Aflibercept and ranibizumab had comparable efficacy for BCVA and CMT. This provides information to balance comparable effects on vision and risk of adverse events between anti-VEGF agents.

Indexed as

Angiogenesis InhibitorsAptamers, NucleotideBevacizumabChoroidal NeovascularizationHumansIntravitreal InjectionsMacular DegenerationRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicRanibizumabReceptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth FactorRecombinant Fusion ProteinsVascular Endothelial Growth Factor AVisual AcuityafliberceptAngiogenesis InhibitorsAptamers, NucleotideBevacizumabpegaptanibRanibizumabReceptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth FactorRecombinant Fusion ProteinsVascular Endothelial Growth Factor AAnti-vascular endothelial growth factorMeta-analysisNeovascular age-related macular degenerationRandomized controlled trials

Identifiers

PMID29843663
PMCPMC5975529
OpenAlexW2806212448

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.