Due to its low prevalence, inflammatory choroidal neovascularization (CNV) occurring in uveitis has been more difficult to study, especially over time, than other retinal conditions that give rise to neovascularization. However, in a new study, researchers investigated the long-term clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of 65 patients with inflammatory uveitic CNV treated with anti-VEGF, using OCT angiography.

Anti-VEGF injections were administered on average 3.6 ±2.5 times, and the mean interval between injections was 2.0 ±0.9 months. Some patients also received intravitreal steroid injections. The study concludes the overall visual outcome of inflammatory CNV was relatively good, with baseline BCVA and the presence of RPE atrophy—an OCT characteristic—after treatment being significant predictors for visual outcomes.

However, the recurrence rate of inflammatory CNV was higher over time in 43% of patients than those observed in previous studies, which suggests it can recur even after a long period of quiescence. 

“Choroidal hypertransmission was the most common occurring imaging feature of inflammatory CNV, but it had no association with final BCVA or recurrence,” the authors explained in their study, a finding that was also reported in a previous small study. The presence of intraretinal hyperreflective foci after treatment “was found to be the single risk factor for recurrence, though it was not a significant determinant of BCVA.”

Kim M, Lee J, Park YG. Long-term analysis of clinical features and treatment outcomes of inflammatory choroidal neovascularization. American Journal of Ophthalmology. Epub ahead of print.