Abstract
Purpose: :
To estimate the dose of Ranibizumab given by intravitreal injection using syringe and separate needle as supplied by Novartis for use in the United Kingdom.
Methods: :
0.05ml solution of Ranibizumab contains 0.5 mg Ranibizumab. A total of 100 measurement values were taken by filling 1 ml syringe (BD Plastipak, Becton Dickinson S.A. Madrid Spain) with distilled water using 18G 1 ½" BD Blunt Fill Needle-Filter. Air was expelled from syringe and 30G ½" BD Microlance 3 needle was placed on syringe. Fluid was expelled until plunger is advanced to 0.05ml mark. The fluid was instilled directly over plastic tray on GR-120 Analytical Balance (A&D Company Limited, Tokyo) and the mass reading was noted.
Results: :
The mass of water delivered using this standard technique had a mean of 55.86mg (range 37.10mg to 66.10mg), standard deviation 3.99mg, P= 0.02.
Conclusions: :
The recommended dose of Ranibizumab for the treatment of wet macular degeneration is 0.5 mg, injected into the eye once a month.The above results demonstrate the variability of dosages given to patients using this standard method of delivering intravitreal Ranibizumab. Results suggest that we routinely deliver doses 12% greater than planned. Higher doses of Ranibizumab have been linked previously with increased risk of adverse events.
Keywords: age-related macular degeneration • vascular endothelial growth factor • choroid: neovascularization