title: Visual acuity change after intravitreal bevacizumab for exudative age-related macular degeneration in relation to subfoveal membrane type.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine an association between the subfoveal neovascular membrane type and visual acuity change after intravitreal bevacizumab injection for exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
  
  
  METHODS
  We carried out a clinical, retrospective, interventional case-series study including 66 consecutive patients (67 eyes) with exudative AMD who received an intravitreal injection of 1.5 mg bevacizumab. Study subgroups included the occult type without or with minimally classic subfoveal neovascularization (n = 28 eyes, 42%), predominantly or purely classic subfoveal neovascularization (n = 22 eyes, 33%), and eyes with retinal pigment epithelium detachment (n = 17 eyes, 25%). Follow-up was >or= 2 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The maximal visual acuity (VA) gain (mean +/- standard deviation - 0.07 +/- 0.30 logMAR, 0.5 +/- 2.9 Snellen lines; p = 0.87), and VA gain at 1 month (p = 0.10), 2 months (p = 0.77) and 3 months (p = 0.35) after the injection did not vary significantly between the three study subgroups. Correspondingly, a multivariate analysis did not reveal a statistically significant (p = 0.57) influence of subfoveal lesion type on gain in VA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Visual improvement after intravitreal bevacizumab does not differ markedly between various types of subfoveal neovascularization in AMD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Clinical Medicine Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany. Jost.Jonas@augen.ma.uni-heidelberg.de
authors.forename: Jost B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Jonas
authors.forename: Teodosio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Libondi
authors.forename: Anna K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Ihloff
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Harder
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kreissig
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schlichtenbrede
authors.forename: Gangolf
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sauder
authors.forename: Ulrich H M
authors.initials: UH
authors.lastname: Spandau
mesh_terms: 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; D005122:Exudates and Transudates; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015861:Retinal Neovascularization / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D014822:Vitreous Body
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab