Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40517351›Full record

ArticleOphthalmology and therapy2025

Real-World 5-Year Outcomes of Age-Related Macular Degeneration with Bevacizumab as First-Line Anti-VEGF.

H Mhmud, J P Vermeulen, O A M Tigchelaar-Besling, F D Verbraak, D Barthelmes, M Gillies, T L Ponsioen, Caroline C W Klaver

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Ophthalmology and therapy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Real-world treatment outcomes of aflibercept versus bevacizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration.Graefe's archive for clinical and experimental ophthalmology = Albrecht von Graefes Archiv fur klinische und experimentelle Ophthalmologie · 2026
    Observational
  2. Review
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.

H Mhmud *Department of Ophthalmology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
J P Vermeulen *Department of Ophthalmology, Erasmus Medical Center, Dr. Molewaterplein 40, 3015 GD, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
O A M Tigchelaar-BeslingDepartment of Ophthalmology, Amphia Hospital, Breda, The Netherlands.
F D VerbraakDepartment of Ophthalmology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
D BarthelmesDepartment of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Zurich and University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
M GilliesSave Sight Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
T L PonsioenDepartment of Ophthalmology, Isala Hospital, Zwolle, The Netherlands.
Caroline C W KlaverDepartment of Ophthalmology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. c.c.w.klaver@erasmusmc.nl.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionTo evaluate long-term outcomes of anti-VEGF therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) in the Netherlands (NL), where bevacizumab is the mandated first-line drug, compared to high-income countries using ranibizumab or aflibercept as initial treatments.

methodsFive-year data from the Fight Retinal Blindness! (FRB) registry, a real-world prospective registry, were analyzed. Outcomes from 1473 Dutch eyes (1229 patients) treated with bevacizumab were compared with 7144 eyes (5884 patients) in a reference group (RG) from 13 socioeconomically similar countries. The primary outcome was mean visual acuity (VA) at yearly intervals; secondary outcomes included injection frequency and switching rates to alternative anti-VEGF agents.

resultsThroughout the 60 months, mean VA was consistently higher in Dutch eyes (baseline: NL 60.2 vs. RG 59.2; 60 months: NL 64.9 vs. RG 62.6). The Dutch group cumulatively received 14.5 more injections over 5 years and had a higher rate of switching (70.9% vs. 50.9%) with a shorter median time to switching (11.9 months vs. 17.7 months).

conclusionsPatients treated in Dutch FRB! clinics have good long-term outcomes with a 2.3-letter higher mean VA at the 60-month timepoint compared to FRB! clinics in the RG. The Dutch patients, who began treatment with bevacizumab, received 14.5 more injections over 5 years and had a 40% higher rate of switching to an alternative drug, with switching occurring 5.8 months earlier. This study highlights the benefits of early and more intensive management to optimize visual outcomes, which appear more important than the choice and price of the first-line drug.

Indexed as

Age-related macular degenerationAMD managementBevacizumabNeovascular AMD

Identifiers

PMID40517351
PMCPMC12271004

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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.