Abstract
Purpose:
The purpose of this study is to find out the incidence of recurred macular edema after the intravitreal bevacizumab injection and related factors which affects the recurrence of macular edema during the 6 months’ follow-up.
Methods:
Intravitreal bevacizumab injection was performed in 73 eyes of 73 patients who had macular edema with RVO. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT) were checked for 6 months after the injection. Recurrence was defined as a 30% increase in CMT after an initial decrease of CMT. Factors that differed between the recurred group and the non-recurred group were identified.
Results:
Recurrence occurred in 38 of 73 eyes (49.4%) and the mean time between injection and recurrence was 15.2 weeks. The mean interval between the onset and the initiation of intravitreal bevacizumab injection was 3.42 weeks in the recurred group, which showed a significant difference compared to the non-recurred group(P<0.05). Also, a greater decrease in CMT 1 week after injection was associated with a decrease in recurrence(P<0.05). Other than those, age, gender, the patients’ comorbidity, whether the consecutive bevacizumab injection was performed or not after resolution of macular edema, the number of injection, pre-treatment BCVA and CMT were not associated with recurrence.
Conclusions:
Recurrence rate was very high after intravitreal bevacizumab injection in eyes with macular edema secondary to RVO. To avoid recurrence, injection can be recommended to initiate at least 4 weeks after the onset. A better prognosis can be expected in patients whose CMT decreases greatly from baseline after 1 week of treatment.