Abstract
Purpose::
To evaluate the efficacy of intravitreal bevacizumab in patients with choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration
Design::
Prospective, longitudinal, interventional, no randomized. We included thirty eyes of 29 patients with choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration, without any treatment and with a written informed consent. All patients received intravitreal bevacizumab (1.87 mg) at baseline; additional applications were given at discretion of the treating physician. Pre and postreatment evaluations consisted in Snellen visual acuity converted to a logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) scale for analysis, complete ophthalmic examination, optical coherence tomography imaging, and fluorescein angiography. Statistical analysis was performed for visual acuity and macular thickness with t-Student test.
Results::
Of the 29 patients, 15 were female and 14 were male; the mean age was 74.3 years; minimal follow-up was 3 months and 16 eyes completed a follow-up of 6 months. Improvements in visual acuity and macular thickness measurements were evident by week 1 and continued through third and sixth month. At third month, the best corrected visual acuity improved from 20/500 to 20/300 (P=0.0045) and the macular thickness decreased by 105 µm (P<0.0001); 54% of the eyes had an increase of 1 to 6 lines of vision and 40% didn’t change. By the sixth month, the best corrected visual acuity improved from 20/600 to 20/300 (P =0.1625) and macular thickness decreased by 173 µm (P<0.0001); 56% of the eyes had an increase of 1 to 6 lines of vision and 37.5% didn’t change. Six eyes required a reinjection because persistent or recurrent fluid observed by optical coherence tomography. No endophthalmitis, retinal detachment or cataract occurred.
Conclusions::
The therapy with intravitreal bevacizumab for choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration was well tolerated; Treated eyes had improvement or stabilization of the visual acuity and decreased of the macular thickness by optical coherence tomography. We considered that intravitreal bevacizumab is an effective therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration.
Clinical Trial::
Fundacion Hospital Nuestra Señora de la Luz
Keywords: age-related macular degeneration • growth factors/growth factor receptors • neovascularization