Posterior Vitreous Detachment Determines the Clinical Impact of Fibrovascular Membrane Fibrosis After Anti-VEGF Treatment in Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy: A Real-World Study
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Meng Zhao,1 Zhaoyang Wang,1,* Lin Liu,1,* Louise O’Toole,2 Jipeng Li1 1Department of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Ophthalmology, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Jipeng Li, Department of Ophthalmology, Beijing Tongren Eye Center, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, People’s Republic of China, Email [email protected]: To investigate the relationship between posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) status and fibrovascular membrane (FVM) angio-fibrotic transformation following anti-VEGF therapy in advanced proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), and their combined impact on disease progression and visual outcomes.Methods: This prospective real-world study enrolled 165 treatment-naïve PDR patients with vitreous hemorrhage (VH) and FVM who received intravitreal anti-VEGF injection followed by panretinal photocoagulation(PRP) when possible. PVD status and FVM characteristics were monitored during a median follow-up of 13.0 months. Cox proportional hazards and Kaplan-Meier analyses evaluated factors influencing visual prognosis and timing of surgical intervention.Results: FVM fibrosis occurred in 43% of patients, with distinct PVD-dependent patterns: predominantly in complete PVD cases, moderately in partial PVD, and rarely without PVD. Multivariate analysis identified macular involvement as the strongest risk factor for poor visual outcomes (HR=3.65), while PVD (HR=0.37) and FVM fibrosis (HR=0.023) were strongly protective. Patients with both PVD and FVM fibrosis maintained stable vision longest (median 28.5 months) and demonstrated significantly longer surgery-free survival (28.3 months) compared to those without either condition (3.2 months, p< 0.0001), who frequently presented with vitreoschisis and recurrent VH disproportionate to visible FVM grade.Conclusion: PVD status critically determines the clinical manifestation and prognosis of post-anti-VEGF FVM fibrosis in PDR. This PVD-dependent pattern challenges the conventional view that FVM fibrosis inevitably leads to “Crunch syndrome” and creates a risk stratification framework that can guide individualized surgical timing decisions, potentially improving functional outcomes in advanced PDR.Plain Language Summary: Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) is a serious complication of diabetes and a leading cause of blindness. It often involves the growth of abnormal blood vessels and membranes inside the eye, which can cause severe vision problems. Doctors frequently treat this condition by injecting medications called anti-VEGF agents, which slow the growth of these harmful vessels. However, sometimes these treatments cause the abnormal vessels and membranes to become fibrotic—meaning they harden and contract, potentially causing further issues.This study aimed to understand how a condition called posterior vitreous detachment (PVD), where the gel-like substance in the eye separates from the retina, influences the outcomes after anti-VEGF treatment. Researchers observed 165 patients with severe PDR who received anti-VEGF injections and monitored how their conditions changed over approximately one year.The study found that nearly half the patients experienced membrane fibrosis after treatment. Importantly, patients with a complete vitreous detachment showed better results, including less tractional damage to the retina and longer periods without needing surgery. Conversely, patients without vitreous detachment faced more severe complications, needed surgery sooner, and had worse vision outcomes.These results indicate that the presence of a vitreous detachment significantly impacts whether fibrosis will be beneficial or harmful after treatment. Understanding this relationship helps doctors predict outcomes more accurately and plan treatments better. Ultimately, this could lead to improved vision preservation and fewer surgical interventions for people with severe diabetic retinopathy.Keywords: proliferative diabetic retinopathy, real world study, posterior vitreous detachment, anti-VEGF, fibrovascular membrane
Authors: Zhao M, Wang Z, Liu L, O'Toole L, Li J
Language: English
Subfield: Ophthalmology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7119354783
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