Finnish researchers report on registry data and changing workload resulting from anti-VEGF therapies

News
Article

The number of patients with retinal vascular diseases is expected to increase over time due to the aging population and lifestyle changes

A person in a lab coat holds a test tube full of fluid. They enter data onto a laptop. Image credit: ©Parichat – stock.adobe.com

Image credit: ©Parichat – stock.adobe.com

Finnish researchers, Hanna Heloterä, Anna-Mari Viita, and Juha Laine, reported the results of a study in which they gained a better perspective on registry data and the changing workload in ophthalmology resulting from the increased use of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drugs to treat retinal diseases.1

The researchers are from Roche Oy, Espoo, Finland; Department of Ophthalmology, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland; and the InFLAMES Flagship, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.

They explained that with the introduction of intravitreal anti-VEGF inhibitors, patients now have more options to treat neovascular AMD (nAMD), diabetic macular oedema (DMO), retinal vein occlusion (RVO) and myopic choroidal neovascularisation (mCNV). The increased number of effective treatments and the aging of the population have resulted in an increased treatment burden in ophthalmology clinics.

They conducted a study to determine the changes in the numbers of patients being treated as the result of aging of the population and negative lifestyle changes and the numbers of treatments with the goal of providing solutions to manage the workload and productivity in ophthalmology departments. In addition, the investigators pointed out, the registry data landscape has evolved in Finland in recent years. In light of this, they considered it important to gain an understanding the possibilities and limitations of ophthalmology registries and patient information systems.

The study was a retrospective analysis of registry data from patients who received intravitreal injections from 2015 to 2022.The study focused on patients receiving and initiating intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment with ranibizumab (Lucentis, Genentech), aflibercept (Eylea, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals), and bevacizumab (Avastin, Genentech) for wet AMD, DMO, RVO, and mCNV.

Registry data analysis

“The ophthalmology department workload increased significantly during our observation period as the total number of patients for nAMD, DMO, RVO and mCNV increased 199.6% from 2015 to 2021. In addition, the total number of administered anti-VEGF injections increased during our observation period, but the increase rate began to subside (2019–2020: increase 23.7%; 2020–2021: increase 10.3%; 2021–2022: increase 6.7%)," the researchers said.

Regarding new patients, they reported that the total annual number of new patients for all diagnoses considered varied between 255 and 458 for the years 2015 to 2021, whereas the total number of new patients starting anti-VEGF treatment for DMO, nAMD, RVO and myopic CNV ranged from 489 to 572 in 2019 to 2021.

The largest number of patients were treated for nAMD. The investigators found the number of patients diagnosed with DMO was about the same from approximately the same during 2015 to 2020, in contrast to the 73.8% increase in the number of patients with AMD (n=191, 2015; n=332, 2021); during that same period there was an 188.5% increase in the number of patients with RVO (2015 n=26; 2021, n=75). However, the number of patients with myopic CNV stayed low throughout the observational period, they described.

The authors concluded, “In the future, the number of patients with retinal vascular diseases is expected to increase due to the aging population and changes in lifestyle-related issues. Therefore, the use of registries in creating an evidence-based understanding of evolving patient numbers is critical. However, it is important to understand the limitations and the quality of the registries. Our study led to a heightened understanding of the Finnish registry landscape and demonstrated an increased workload by intravitreal injections in ophthalmology departments. Confidently these data will facilitate discussions about changing resource needs in ophthalmology departments and registry studies in the future.”

Reference

1. Heloterä H, Viita AM, Laine J. Evolution of workload associated with anti-VEGF treatments for AMD, DME, RVO and mCNV in hospital district of Southwest Finland. Clin Ophthalmol. 2024;18:3645-3655; https://doi.org/10.2147/OPTH.S479816

Newsletter

Join ophthalmologists across Europe—sign up for exclusive updates and innovations in surgical techniques and clinical care.

Recent Videos
Christine Curcio, PhD, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, shares histology update and revised nomenclature for OCT with Sheryl Stevenson of the Eye Care Network and Ophthalmology Times
SriniVas R. Sadda, MD, FARVO, shares key points from his retina presentation at the International SPECTRALIS Symposium
Robert Sergott, MD, describes fluorescence lifetime imaging ophthalmoscopy (FLIO) and the International SPECTRALIS Symposium – And Beyond (ISS) in Heidelberg, Germany.
Rayaz Malik, MBChB, PhD, a professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine - Qatar, spoke with Ophthalmology Times Europe about his presentation. It's titled "An eye on neurodegenerative diseases: Challenging the dogma" at the International SPECTRALIS Sympsoium. In conversation with Hattie Hayes, Ophthalmology Times Europe
Anat Loewenstein, MD, describes her presentation on remote imaging for age-related macular degeneration and geographic atrophy at the International SPECTRALIS Symposium, in conversation with Hattie Hayes of Ophthalmology Times Europe
Tyson Brunstetter, OD, PhD, a US Navy Aerospace Optometrist at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, shares key takeaways from his keynote at the International SPECTRALIS Symposium (ISS)
Rayaz Malik, MBChB, PhD, shares his presentation, titled An eye on neurodegenerative diseases: Challenging the dogma, at this year's International SPECTRALIS Symposium
At the Retina World Congress, Siegfried Priglinger, MD, speaks about ensuring the best outcomes for preschool-aged patients
At the 2025 ASCRS meeting, Robert Ang, MD said small aperture IOLs can benefit all patients, especially those with complex corneas or who have undergone previous corneal refractive surgery
Viha Vig, MBChB graduate student at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, discusses her poster presentation on the relationship between mitochondiral disease, Alzheimer disease, and other types of dementia.
Related Content
© 2025 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.