Intravitreal bevacizumab therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration: a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravitreal bevacizumab therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (ARMD).


METHODS
Patients with diagnosis of neovascular ARMD without any other ocular pathology were injected with 2.5 mg of intravitreal bevacizumab. A complete ophthalmic examination was undertaken in all patients, including best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), slit lamp biomicroscopy and ocular fundus examination. Ophthalmic follow-up evaluations included visual acuity measurements, optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging, and fluorescein angiography at first, second and fourth week post injection.


RESULTS
39 eyes of 39 patients were injected. The median age was 76 years-old (range 65-90), median visual acuity was 1.18 logMAR (range 0.18-3.00) and median retinal thickness was 388 microns (range 157-1237). By the fourth week of treatment, the median visual acuity was 0.88 (range 0.18-2.78) and median retinal thickness was 247 microns (range 108-1262). Statistically significant differences were found in visual acuity and retinal thickness before and after intravitreal injection (p=0.002, p<0.001, Wilcoxon rank test).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that intravitreal bevacizumab is well tolerated and is associated with improvement in BCVA and decreased mean retinal thickness by OCT. Further controlled and long term evaluation of intravitreal bevacizumab for the treatment of neovascular ARMD is warranted.
Abrahám-Marin
Maura Lucy
ML
Asociación para evitar la Ceguera en México, Hospital Luis Sánchez Bulnes, Vicente García Torres #46, Colonia San Lucas Coyoacán, 04030, Mexico, Mexico. maura.abraham@gmail.com
Cortés-Luna
Carlos Fernando
CF
Alvarez-Rivera
Griselda
G
Hernández-Rojas
Myriam
M
Quiroz-Mercado
Hugo
H
Morales-Cantón
Virgilio
V
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014822:Vitreous Body
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab