Efficacy of Faricimab in the Treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema and Faricimab-Related Changes in OCT and OCT Angiography

TL;DR

This study shows that faricimab injections reduce diabetic macular edema and improve retinal blood flow as seen through OCT and OCT angiography.

Contribution

The study provides new evidence on faricimab's efficacy in reducing DME and improving retinal microvascular parameters.

Findings

Intravitreal faricimab injections reduced diabetic macular edema as observed on OCT.

OCT angiography showed improved retinal microvascular parameters, including reduced nonperfusion areas.

Treatment led to increased retinal blood flow and better visual acuity in patients.

Abstract

Our study aimed to assess the anatomical changes in the retina, including the assessment of the reduction of diabetic macular edema (DME) on optical coherence tomography (OCT) and the improvement of retinal microvascular parameters, defined by the reduction of nonperfusion areas on OCT angiography (OCTA) after intravitreal injections of 6 mg faricimab, an anti-VEGF drug used in the treatment of DME. The study included twenty-two patients aged between 61 and 74 years, each of whom received four loading doses of 6 mg faricimab at 1-month intervals, as described in the summary of product characteristics. Hemodynamic parameters were analyzed by OCT angiography before the first intravitreal injection of faricimab and one month after each subsequent injection. The following parameters were analyzed: non-perfusion area (NPA), superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP), outer retinal flow area (ORFA), choriocapillaris flow area (CCFA) and foveal avascular zone (FAZ). Despite differences in the magnitude of improvement and time to improvement from the start of treatment with intravitreal injections of 6 mg faricimab, reductions in DME and improvements in OCTA parameters resulted in increased retinal blood flow and better visual acuity.

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