Abstract
Purpose: :
To analyze the indications for anti-VEGF injections in a tertiary care center over a two-year period.
Methods: :
Retrospective observational case series. Data collected for indications of intra-vitreal anti-VEGF therapy between October, 2006 and September, 2008 by three independently practicing retina specialists in a tertiary care center in eastern India.
Results: :
A total of 324 patients were given intra-vitreal anti-VEGF injections (bevacizumab, ranibizumab and pegaptanib) over the two-year period. Bevacizumab was given to 88.2% (n=289) patients. The indications included choroidal neovascular membrane (CNVM, n=83; 28.7%), venous occlusions (n=79; 27.3 %), proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR, n=70; 24.2%), diabetic macular edema (DME, n=26; 8.9%), and others (n=31; 10.7%). Ranibizumab was given to 7.3% (n=24) patients and for the following indications - CNVM (n=20; 83.3%), venous occlusions (n=2; 8.3%), DME (n=1; 4.2%) and others (n=1; 4.2%). The indications for pegaptanib (n=15, 4.6%), included DME (n=10; 66.7%), venous occlusions (n=4; 26.7%) and others (n=1; 6.7%).
Conclusions: :
The indications for use of anti VEGF intravitreral therapy is as per the current literature though preferential use of bevacizumab was both physician and patient economy driven.
Keywords: vascular endothelial growth factor • retina • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: systems/equipment/techniques