Skip to content
DraconiticResearch
Search Sources API
182,549 studies31 sourcesUpdated 48 min ago
Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0PLOS One

OphthoEvidence Report: Comparative effects of treatments for geographic atrophy secondary to age-related macular degeneration: A protocol for a living systematic review and network meta-analysis

  • Maryam Ghadimi1
  • Housne Begum2
  • Dena Zeraatkar3
  • Jinhui Ma4
  • Sobha Sivaprasad5
  • Enrico Borrelli6
  • Peter Kaiser7
  • David H. Steel8
  • Tien Yin Wong9
  • Robyn Guymer10
  • Charles C. Wykoff11
  • Varun Chaudhary12
12 affiliations
  1. 1Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
  2. 2Thomas Kevill Advanced Vitreoretinal Imaging (AVI) Lab, St Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
  3. 3Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
  4. 4Department of Anesthesia, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
  5. 5NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at Moorfields Eye Hospital and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, London, United Kingdom
  6. 6Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
  7. 7Department of Ophthalmology, “City of Health and Science” Hospital, Turin, Italy
  8. 8Cole Eye Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
  9. 9Sunderland Eye Infirmary, National Health Service, Sunderland, United Kingdom
  10. 10Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom
  11. 11Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, SingaporeSingapore
  12. 12Beijing Visual Science and Translational Eye Research Institute, School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, Tsinghua Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
Open at sourcePDFDOICite

Abstract

Background: Geographic atrophy (GA), an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), leads to legal blindness in approximately 16% of affected individuals within 6 years. Numerous trials have evaluated interventions to slow GA progression, and many studies are ongoing. However, the comparative benefits and harms of treatments within this rapidly evolving therapeutic landscape have not yet been systematically synthesized. Objectives: To present a protocol for a living systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) addressing the effects of available interventions for the management of GA. Methods: We systematically searched Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception for randomized controlled trials comparing any pharmacologic or non-pharmacologic treatment versus another, placebo, sham, or standard care in adults with unilateral or bilateral GA secondary to AMD. Paired reviewers will independently screen studies, extract data, and assess risk of bias. Outcomes of interest include best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), untransformed and square root-transformed total GA lesion area, vision-related quality of life, low luminance BCVA, reading speed, mean macular sensitivity, adverse events leading to discontinuation, macular neovascularization, need for rescue treatment, ischemic optic neuropathy, serious ocular adverse events, and serious non-ocular adverse events. For each outcome, if feasible, we will conduct frequentist random-effects NMAs. We will assess the certainty of evidence and interpret findings using the GRADE approach. To maintain this review as a living systematic review, we will conduct updates every six months. Discussion: This review will provide a comprehensive, trustworthy, and up-to-date summary of evidence on treatments for GA secondary to AMD. Registration: Open Science Framework (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/W4JHR).

Related

  1. OphthoEvidence report: Baseline structural optical coherence tomography biomarkers as predictors of visual outcomes following full-thickness macular hole surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol
    Sahar Khademioore, João Pedro Lima, Dena Zeraatkar +8
    PLOS OnePeer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Full textNeuroscienceMedical imaging & radiologyPLOS
  2. Interaction Patterns of Mucormycotina Fungi with Professional Phagocytes and Amoebae: A Comparative Phylogenetic and Geographic Survey on Clinical and Environmental Species
    M. I. Hassan, A. M. Moharram, H.-M. Dahse +5
    bioRxivPreprintCC BYFull textMicrobiologybioRxiv
  3. Geographic and genomic determinants of antimicrobial resistance in indian children: a systematic review and meta-analysis
    Sunil Kumar, Santenna Chenchula, Rahul Bhalsenge +14
    BMC PediatricsPeer-reviewedCC BYFull textMicrobiologyDOAJ
  4. Comparative efficacy and safety of low dose vs. standard-dose immune checkpoint inhibitors: A systematic review and meta-analysis
    Yuan Wu, Jianing Qin, Xin Jin +1
    iSciencePeer-reviewedCC BY-NC-ND 4.0Full textImmunologyCell PressCrossrefEurope PMCEurope PMC+1
  5. Adjusted Comparative Treatment Persistence of IL-23p19 Versus IL-17 Pathway Inhibitors in Adults With Plaque Psoriasis: A Systematic Review and Exploratory Meta-analysis of Real-World Time-to-Discontinuation Estimates
    Deya S Migdady, Nooran Alshyyab, Hashem M Alkhalaileh +7
    CureusPeer-reviewedCC BYFull textImmunologyEurope PMCPMC

Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{ghadimi2026ophthoevidence,
  title = {{OphthoEvidence Report: Comparative effects of treatments for geographic atrophy secondary to age-related macular degeneration: A protocol for a living systematic review and network meta-analysis}},
  author = {Maryam Ghadimi and Housne Begum and Dena Zeraatkar and Jinhui Ma and Sobha Sivaprasad and Enrico Borrelli and Peter Kaiser and David H. Steel and Tien Yin Wong and Robyn Guymer and Charles C. Wykoff and Varun Chaudhary},
  journal = {PLOS One},
  year = {2026},
  month = sep,
  doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0358699},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0358699},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - OphthoEvidence Report: Comparative effects of treatments for geographic atrophy secondary to age-related macular degeneration: A protocol for a living systematic review and network meta-analysis
AU  - Maryam Ghadimi
AU  - Housne Begum
AU  - Dena Zeraatkar
AU  - Jinhui Ma
AU  - Sobha Sivaprasad
AU  - Enrico Borrelli
AU  - Peter Kaiser
AU  - David H. Steel
AU  - Tien Yin Wong
AU  - Robyn Guymer
AU  - Charles C. Wykoff
AU  - Varun Chaudhary
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/30
JO  - PLOS One
DO  - 10.1371/journal.pone.0358699
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0358699
AB  - Background: Geographic atrophy (GA), an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), leads to legal blindness in approximately 16% of affected individuals within 6 years. Numerous trials have evaluated interventions to slow GA progression, and many studies are ongoing. However, the comparative benefits and harms of treatments within this rapidly evolving therapeutic landscape have not yet been systematically synthesized. Objectives: To present a protocol for a living systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) addressing the effects of available interventions for the management of GA. Methods: We systematically searched Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception for randomized controlled trials comparing any pharmacologic or non-pharmacologic treatment versus another, placebo, sham, or standard care in adults with unilateral or bilateral GA secondary to AMD. Paired reviewers will independently screen studies, extract data, and assess risk of bias. Outcomes of interest include best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), untransformed and square root-transformed total GA lesion area, vision-related quality of life, low luminance BCVA, reading speed, mean macular sensitivity, adverse events leading to discontinuation, macular neovascularization, need for rescue treatment, ischemic optic neuropathy, serious ocular adverse events, and serious non-ocular adverse events. For each outcome, if feasible, we will conduct frequentist random-effects NMAs. We will assess the certainty of evidence and interpret findings using the GRADE approach. To maintain this review as a living systematic review, we will conduct updates every six months. Discussion: This review will provide a comprehensive, trustworthy, and up-to-date summary of evidence on treatments for GA secondary to AMD. Registration: Open Science Framework (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/W4JHR).
SN  - 1932-6203
ER  -