Abstract
Purpose::
To evaluate the results (visual, electroretinographic, angiographic, complication rate) of the intravitreal injection of 2.5 mg of bevacizumab in one eye and of panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) in the contralateral eye of patients with symmetric proliferative (PDR) or severe non-proliferative (SNPDR) diabetic retinopathy.
Methods::
Prospective, experimental, analytic, comparative study.Patients with symmetric PDR or SNPDR without previous treatment were included. In a randomized fashion, one eye underwent PRP (2-3 sessions) and the contralateral eye was treated with 2.5 mg of intravitreal bevacizumab (3 injections in a period of four months). Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), electroretinogram, fluorescein angiogram and OCT were performed at 1, 2, 4 and 6 months.
Results::
Ten patients were included, six of them female, average age 53.3 years. Five had PDR and 5 had SNPDR. BCVA worsened in 3 eyes treated with PRP and in 1 treated with bevacizumab. Macular thickness increased in 3 eyes treated with PRP and in none treated with bevacizumab. Electroretinogram B-wave decreased in 8 eyes treated with PRP and in none treated with bevacizumab. Two eyes treated with PRP developed cystic macular edema and one a vitreous hemorrhage. No complications were observed in eyes treated with bevacizumab.
Conclusions::
Intravitreal bevacizumab was as effective as PRP for the treatment of PDR and SNPDR at six months follow-up, without the adverse effects observed with PRP.
Clinical Trial::
www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT00347698
Keywords: diabetic retinopathy • clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: treatment/prevention assessment/controlled clinical trials