Publikation

Fibrosis in neovascular age-related macular degeneration: A review of definitions based on clinical imaging.

Wissenschaftlicher Artikel/Review - 05.04.2023

PubMed
DOI
Kontakt

Zitation
Bachmeier I, Garcia Armendariz B, Yu S, Jäger R, Ebneter A, Glittenberg C, Pauleikhoff D, Sadda S, Chakravarthy U, Fauser S. Fibrosis in neovascular age-related macular degeneration: A review of definitions based on clinical imaging. Surv Ophthalmol 2023; 68:835-848.
Art
Wissenschaftlicher Artikel/Review (Englisch)
Zeitschrift
Surv Ophthalmol 2023; 68
Veröffentlichungsdatum
05.04.2023
eISSN (Online)
1879-3304
Seiten
835-848
Kurzbeschreibung/Zielsetzung

Despite the success of antiangiogenic therapy in controlling exudation in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD), the involvement of the outer retina in fibrosis results in gradual vision loss over time. The development of drugs that prevent or ameliorate fibrosis in nAMD requires that it is accurately detected and quantified with reliable endpoints and identification of robust biomarkers. Achievement of such an aim is currently challenging due to the lack of a consensus definition of fibrosis in nAMD. As a first step towards the establishment of a clear definition of fibrosis, we provide an extensive overview of the imaging modalities and criteria used to characterize fibrosis in nAMD. We observed variety in the selection of individual and combinations of imaging modalities, and criteria for detection. We also observed heterogeneity in classification systems and severity scales for fibrosis. The most commonly used imaging modalities were color fundus photography, fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography (OCT). A multimodal approach was frequently utilized. Our review suggests that OCT offers a more detailed, objective and sensitive characterization than color fundus photography/fluorescein angiography. Thus, we recommend it as a primary modality for fibrosis evaluation. This review provides a basis for future discussions to reach a consensus definition using standardized terms based on a detailed characterization of fibrosis, its presence and evolution, and taking into consideration impact on visual function. Achieving this goal is of paramount importance for the development of antifibrotic therapies.