Structural and Functional Macular Evaluation in Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy patients treated using Panretinal Photocoagulation Combined with Intravitreal Bevacizumab Injections

Abstract

Purpose: : To investigate the effects of panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) combined with intravitreal injections of Avastin® (Bevacizumab) as an adjuvant to proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR)

Methods: : Prospective randomized masked study conducted in patients with high-risk PDR, which were divided into two groups. One eye was treated with only PRP (PRP only group) and the fellow eye of same patient was treated with both PRP and intravitreal bevacizumab injections (Adjuvant group). Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central macular thickness (CMT) and macular volume (MV) were immediately recorded and also at the 1, 3 and 6 month’s follow-up visits.

Results: : Of 30 patients with high-risk PDR, sixteen were male and fourteen were female. The average age and duration of the diabetes were 55(±7.87) and 17.77(±9.12) years, respectively. There were no statistically significant BCVA changes after treatment in either group throughout the follow-up period. CMT demonstrated improvement just in the first month follow-up in the adjuvant group (P<0.035). MV improved in the first (P<0.07) and third month follow-ups in the adjuvant group (P<0.02).

Conclusions: : Intravitreal bevacizumab injection with PRP resulted in reduced CMT and MV one and three months after treatment. There was no difference in the BCVA between the two groups during the six-months of follow-up.

Clinical Trial: : http://www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT01389505

Keywords: diabetic retinopathy • macula/fovea • retinal neovascularization