Tachyphylaxis to ranibizumab in the Treatment of Age-related Macular Degeneration

Purpose: To assess the patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD) who develop tachyphylaxis to ranibizumab after intravitreal injections of ranibizumab (IVR).

Methods: We reviewed the records of 115 eyes of 110patients who received IVR from April 2009 to September 2011 at the Kansai Medical University, Takii Hospital. Among the patients who were not regarded as initial non-responders, patients whose response deteriorated after repeated intravitreal use of ranibizumab were defined as having tachyphylaxis.

Results: In this study, we found a 5.2% rate (6/115) of subjects with tachyphylaxis. Two eyes of those with tachyphylaxis had a classic choroidal neovascularization component. There was no significant difference in lesion types between patients with tachyphylaxis and responders (P=0.47; chi-square test).

Conclusion: There are a few percentages of AMD patients who develop tachyphylaxis to ranibizumab. No significant difference is observed in the prevalence of tachyphylaxis among the lesion types.