Abstract
Purpose::
To compare an intravitreal high-dose injection of triamcinolone acetonide versus an intravitreal injection of bevacizumab for treatment of progressive exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Methods::
The comparative non-randomized retrospective clinical interventional study included 305 patients with progressive AMD, divided into a bevacizumab group of 36 patients (1.5 mg bevacizumab) and a triamcinolone group of 269 patients (about 20 mg triamcinolone). All patients were consecutively included, in the first phase of the study for triamcinolone, and in the second phase of the study for bevacizumab. Mean follow-up was 8.5 ± 6.8 months (2-35.7 months).
Results::
In the bevacizumab group, best visual acuity increased significantly (P<0.001) by 3.2±3.4 Snellen lines, with 25 (69%) eyes and 21 (58%) eyes, improving by at least 2 Snellen lines and 3 lines, respectively. In the triamcinolone group, the visual acuity change was not statistically significant for any specific follow-up examination within the first 3 months. Maximal increase in visual acuity, the visual acuity change at 2 months after injection, and the percentage of patients with an improvement by at least 2 Snellen lines and 3 lines were significantly (P<0.001) higher in the bevacizumab group than in the triamcinolone group. Intraocular pressure increased significantly (p<0.001) in the triamcinolone group, and did not change significantly (P=0.47) in the bevacizumab group.
Conclusions::
In exudative AMD, intravitreal bevacizumab (1.5mg) compared with intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (about 20mg) results in a higher improvement of visual acuity and does not markedly influence intraocular pressure within 2 months after injection.
Keywords: age-related macular degeneration • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: treatment/prevention assessment/controlled clinical trials • choroid: neovascularization