Abstract
Purpose: :
To evaluate the efficacy of Pegaptanib and Ranibizumab as single initial therapy to improve visual acuity and macular thickness in macular edema (ME) due to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).
Methods: :
Twenty-four patients with BRVO and ME higher than 400 microns were initially randomly treated with an intravitreal injection of Pegaptanib or Ranibizumab. Further retreatments were developed in case of macular thickness higher than 300 microns. No other therapy was associated during the 40-weeks follow-up.
Results: :
In the Pegaptanib Group (n=12) the initial logMAR best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0,617 +/- 0,17 and the final BCVA was 0,375 +/- 0,20 (p=0,02); in the Ranibizumab group (n=12) the initial BCVA was 0,708 +/- 0,22 and the final BCVA was 0,308 +/- 0,20 (p=0,002). No statistically significant differences were found in visual improvement between both groups (p=0,59). ME improved in the Pegaptanib group from 485,75 +/- 67,1 microns to 282,17 +/- 48,9 (p=0,002); in the Ranibizumab group improved from 505,1 + 82,1 microns to 280,7 + 33,1 (p=0,002). No statistically significant differences were found in macular thickness improvement between both groups (p=0,875). In the Pegaptanib treatment the mean number of injections to achieve macular thickness lower than 300 microns was 3,33 + 1,07; in the Ranibizumab treatment it was 3,16 + 0,83 (p=0,669).
Conclusions: :
Both Pegaptanib and Ranibizumab are effective as single initial therapy of ME due to BRVO
Keywords: macula/fovea • vascular occlusion/vascular occlusive disease • vascular endothelial growth factor