Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33633901›Full record

ArticleCureus2021

An Uncommon Aflibercept Side Effect: Full Thickness Macular Hole Formation After Intravitreal Injections in Patients With Pre-existing Vitreomacular Traction.

Athanasios Karamitsos, Konstantina N Sorkou, Joy Bhagey, Roxane J Hillier, Vasileios T Papastavrou

Open access · diamondAbstract readCase Reports
In one paragraph

Article in Cureus, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
0.3field-weighted citation impact, top 46% 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, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. A literature review of macular holes in age-related macular degeneration: insights into the pathogenesis, prognosis and surgical outcomes.Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie · 2026
    Review
  2. Acute and delayed full thickness macular holes in patients with intravitreal VEGF-inhibitors therapy.Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
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 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Athanasios Karamitsos2nd Department of Ophthalmology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, GRC.
Konstantina N Sorkou2nd Department of Ophthalmology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, GRC.
Joy BhageyThe Newcastle Eye Department, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle, GBR.
Roxane J HillierThe Newcastle Eye Department, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle, GBR.
Vasileios T PapastavrouThe Newcastle Eye Department, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle, GBR.
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki · GRRoyal Victoria Infirmary · GB

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Aflibercept is an intravitreally injected anti-vascular endothelial growth factor, commonly used in patients with several retinal pathologies, including neovascular age-related macular degeneration. We report a case series of three patients under treatment with an aflibercept regime for neovascular age-related macular degeneration, who were referred to vitreoretinal service between 2015-2016. In all cases, pre-existing vitreomacular traction was detected with an optical coherence tomography scan. All of them developed full-thickness macular hole after aflibercept intravitreal injections. The combined cataract and macular hole surgery was successful, with improvement in visual acuity. We suggest that dynamic alterations of the size of the pigment epithelium detachment resulting from intravitreal injections might intensify the pre-existing pathological adhesion of the vitreous-retinal interface and subsequently cause the formation of a full-thickness macular hole. Therefore, all practitioners treating patients with aflibercept intravitreal injections and pre-existing vitreomacular traction should be aware of the possible macular hole formation.

Indexed as

aflibercept intravitreal injectionfull thickness macular holeneovascular age-related macular degenerationpigment epithelial detachmentvitreo-macular traction

Identifiers

PMID33633901
PMCPMC7898078
OpenAlexW3121926042

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.