Efficacy of intravitreal bevacizumab for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to assess the short-term efficacy of intravitreal injections of bevacizumab for polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV).


METHODS
Intravitreal bevacizumab (1 mg) was injected into 11 eyes of 11 patients with PCV in this retrospective, interventional case series. The main outcome measure was the change in the polypoidal vessels on indocyanine green angiography (IA) 3 months after injection. The foveal height determined by optical coherence tomography and the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) also were evaluated before and after treatment.


RESULTS
At baseline, subretinal fluid was observed in five eyes and a pigment epithelial detachment in eight eyes. The foveal height 1 month after injection decreased significantly (p = 0.023), but at 3 months, no significant decrease was observed, although an additional injection was administrated in five of 11 eyes. The IA at 3 months showed resolution of polyps in one eye but residual or enlarged lesions in the other ten eyes. The BCVA did not improve significantly, although the subjects had relatively good BCVA at baseline (mean 0.45).


CONCLUSIONS
Intravitreal injection of bevacizumab may reduce the fluid from PCV but seems to be ineffective for diminishing its choroidal vascular changes.
Gomi
F
F
Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka University Medical School, 2-2 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan. fgomi@ophthal.med.osaka-u.ac.jp
Sawa
M
M
Sakaguchi
H
H
Tsujikawa
M
M
Oshima
Y
Y
Kamei
M
M
Tano
Y
Y
D000368:Aged; 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* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab