Abstract
Purpose: :
To investigate the frequency of possible ocular and systemic side-effects of the intravitreal use of Bevacizumab.
Methods: :
263 eyes of 250 patients with age-related macular degeneration were treated with intravitreal Bevacizumab (Avastin 1.25 mg) from June 2006 to September 2007. Ocular side-effects were recorded prospectively. The general practitioners of all 250 patients received a questionnaire concerning possible systemic side-effects of intravitreal Bevacizumab.
Results: :
The mean age of patients was 78 years (SD 8 years). Average follow-up time was 7.6 months (SD 3.8 months). The total number of intravitreal injections during follow-up was 996, the mean number of intravitreal injections per patient was 3.9 (SD 2.0). Ocular side-effects were recorded in 13 of 250 patients (5.2%) and consisted of 1 (0.4%) sterile endophthalmitis, 5 (2.0%) incidences of uveitis, 3 (1.2%) pigment epithelial tears and 4 (1.6%) patients with an increase of subretinal blood. The response rate of the questionnaire on systemic side-effects was 88% (218 patients). In 19 of 219 patients (8.7%) systemic side-effects were recorded. Systemic events recorded were systemic hypertension (n=9; 4.1%), increase of systemic hypertension (n=3; 1.4%), transient ischemic attacks (n=4; 1.8%), ischemic stroke (n=1; 0.5%), myocardial infarction (n=1; 0.5%), other thromboembolic events (n=1; 0.5%).
Conclusions: :
The percentage of both ocular and systemic side-effects of intravitreal Bevacizumab in our study is small.
Keywords: age-related macular degeneration