Missed Hospital Appointments of Patients Receiving Ranibizumab Therapy for Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration

• DOI: 10.1007/s40123-015-0031-5
• Publication Date: 2015-03-13T15:36:57Z
• Authors: Michael Karampelas; Maria Pefkianaki; Angela Rees; Navdeep Gill; Aachal Kotecha; Robin Hamilton; Eleni Nikita; Praveen J. Patel
• Keywords: Medical record

The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency and duration missed hospital appointments (MHAs) in a consecutive cohort patients treated with ranibizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) assess their impact on outcomes therapy real-world clinical setting.Retrospective, cross-sectional attending medical retina clinics nAMD treatment ranibizumab.Seventy-eight eyes 78 met inclusion criteria data analysis. Mean age years mean follow-up 27 months. visual acuity (VA) 52 ± 16 letters at baseline, 56 17 year 1 58 2. At end second year, 90% had lost <15 letters, 26% gained ≥15 10% letters. Nineteen least one MHA (24%) over 2 years. There were 26 episodes total leading median 79 days (range 35-159) between attended visits. None these MHAs occurred during first 3 months after initiation. VA central retinal thickness difference baseline group not statistically different compared non-MHA group.Our suggest that may be relatively common occurrence AMD clinics, but good can achieved despite visits if are reviewed average six times an initial loading phase three injections nine treatment.