Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31888553›Full record

ArticleBMC ophthalmology2019

Repeated intravitreal injections of antivascular endothelial growth factor in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration may increase the risk of ischemic optic neuropathy.

Yu-Yen Chen, Pesus Chou, Yu-Fang Huang, Hung-Jen Chien, Yu-Chieh Wu, Chia-Chi Lee, Li-Ying Huang, Hsin-Hua Chen

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC ophthalmology, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.0field-weighted citation impact, top 13% 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

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 13 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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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

8 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Yu-Yen ChenDepartment of Ophthalmology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, 1650 Taiwan Boulevard Sect. 4, Taichung, 40705, Taiwan. yuyenchen.phd@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0891-3819
Pesus ChouSchool of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Yu-Fang HuangDepartment of Ophthalmology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, 1650 Taiwan Boulevard Sect. 4, Taichung, 40705, Taiwan.
Hung-Jen ChienDepartment of Ophthalmology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, 1650 Taiwan Boulevard Sect. 4, Taichung, 40705, Taiwan.
Yu-Chieh WuDepartment of Ophthalmology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, 1650 Taiwan Boulevard Sect. 4, Taichung, 40705, Taiwan.
Chia-Chi LeeDepartment of Ophthalmology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, 1650 Taiwan Boulevard Sect. 4, Taichung, 40705, Taiwan.
Li-Ying HuangSchool of Medicine, College of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei, Taiwan.
Hsin-Hua ChenSchool of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Taichung Veterans General Hospital · TWNational Yang Ming Chiao Tung University · TWFu Jen Catholic University · TW

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPrevious case reports have demonstrated the occurrence of ischemic optic neuropathy (ION) following intravitreal injections of antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF). However, no previous studies have investigated the impact of injection numbers on the risk of ION. The aim of our study was to investigate whether repeated intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF would increase the risk of subsequent ION in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

methodsA population-based, retrospective cohort study using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database was conducted from 2007 to 2013. Neovascular AMD patients receiving intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF during the study period were enrolled in the study cohort. Enrollees were divided into three groups according to the categorized levels of injection number (first level: < 10 times, second level: 10-15 times, and third level: > 15 times). Kaplan-Meier curves were generated to compare the cumulative hazard of subsequent ION among the three groups. Cox regression analyses were used to estimate crude and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for ION development with respect to the different levels of injection numbers. The confounders included for adjustment were age, sex, and comorbidities (diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, ischemic heart disease, and glaucoma).

resultsIn total, the study cohort included 77,210 patients. Of these, 26,520, 38,010, and 12,680 were in the first-, second-, and third-level groups, respectively. The Kaplan-Meier method revealed that the cumulative hazards of ION were significantly higher in those who had a higher injection number. After adjusting for confounders, the adjusted HRs for ION in the second- and third-level groups were 1.91 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32-2.76) and 2.20 (95% CI, 1.42-3.43), respectively, compared with those in the first-level group.

conclusionsAmong patients with neovascular AMD, those who receive a higher number of anti-VEGF injections have a significantly higher risk of developing ION compared with individuals who receive a lower number of injections.

Indexed as

AgedAged, 80 and overAngiogenesis InhibitorsChoroidal NeovascularizationDatabases, FactualFemaleFluorescein AngiographyHumansIntravitreal InjectionsMaleMiddle AgedNational Health ProgramsOptic Neuropathy, IschemicRetreatmentRetrospective StudiesRisk FactorsAngiogenesis InhibitorsVascular Endothelial Growth Factor AVEGFA protein, humanAntivascular endothelial growth factorCohort studyIntravitreal injectionIschemic optic neuropathyNational Health Insurance Research DatabaseNeovascular age-related macular degenerationRisk factor

Identifiers

PMID31888553
PMCPMC6937927
OpenAlexW2996939888

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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.