Abstract
Purpose: :
To evaluate the response to treatment with combined therapy of bevacizumab and intravitreal triamcinolone for macular edema (ME) secondary to Central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO).
Methods: :
Patients with diagnosis of CRVO were divided in 2 groups. Group 1 was treated with 2.5mg intravitreal bevacizumab in three monthly doses. Group 2 was treated with intravitreal bevacizumab 2.5mg and triamcinolone 4mg (0.2ml) in the first month and two doses of bevacizumab at the 2nd and 3rd month. All patients had a complete ophthalmologic examination and assessments of best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) with ETDRS charts, intraocular pressure, optical coherence tomography, electroetinogram, fluorescein angiogram and color fundus photographs. Follow-up examinations were performed at baseline, 1, 2 and 3 months.
Results: :
We enrolled 19 patients who completed follow-up. Eleven in group 1 and eight in group 2. In group 1, 75% improved their BCVA, 62% the volume and macularthickness. In group 2, 57% improved their VA, 85% the volume and macular thickness. There have been 3 cases of re-occlusion, 1 in the first group, 2 in the 2nd; associated with smoking, poorly controlled diabetes and hypertension, andhypercholesterolemiarespectively. There has been only one caseof ocular hypertension in group 2 treatedsuccessfully withantihypertensive eye drops.
Conclusions: :
Treatment with bevacizumab and triamcinolone or bevacizumab alone results in improvement in visual acuity and macular thickness. There seems to be no statistically significant difference between groups but our sample size is still small.
Clinical Trial: :
www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT00566761
Keywords: clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: treatment/prevention assessment/controlled clinical trials • edema • retina