Short-term effects of intravitreal bevacizumab for subfoveal choroidal neovascularization in pathologic myopia.
OBJECTIVE
To determine short-term effects of intravitreal bevacizumab for subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in pathologic myopia.


METHODS
In this prospective interventional case series, patients were treated with 2.5 mg of intravitreal bevacizumab and followed for 3 months. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), optical coherence tomography (OCT), and fluorescein angiography (FA) were recorded. Indications for retreatment were active leaking CNV shown by FA and presence of subretinal fluid by OCT in combination with visual disturbances.


RESULTS
Fourteen patients were included, with a mean age of 53.86 +/- 16.26 years (range 29-85). Mean spherical equivalent was -13.87 +/- 3.68 diopters (-7.25 to -20.50). Minimum follow-up was 3 months. There were no adverse events. The mean initial visual acuity was 20/200 improving to 20/100 at 2 weeks, 20/80 at 4 weeks, and 20/60 at 8 and 12 weeks (P=0.007; P=0.001; P=0.005; P=0.001, respectively). Initial foveal thickness improved from 385.43 microm +/- 125.83 microm to 257.64 +/- 76.6 microm and 194.54 +/- 54.35 microm after the first and third month, respectively (P=0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Initial treatment results of patients with CNV due to pathologic myopia did not reveal any short-term safety concerns. Intravitreal bevacizumab resulted in a significant decrease in foveal thickness and improvement in visual acuity. These favorable initial results support further larger and long-term studies.
Hernández-Rojas
Myriam L
ML
Hospital Luis Sánchez Bulnes, Asociación Para Evitar la Ceguera en México I.A.P., México City, México. myrianhernandez@hotmail.com
Quiroz-Mercado
Hugo
H
Dalma-Weiszhausz
José
J
Fromow-Guerra
Jans
J
Amaya-Espinosa
Andrés
A
Solís-Vivanco
Adriana
A
Reyna-Castelán
Elizabeth
E
Abraham-Marín
Maura
M
Martínez-Castellanos
Maria Ana
MA
Aiello
Lloyd P
LP
D000328:Adult; 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; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005584:Fovea Centralis; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D047728:Myopia, Degenerative / Q000150:complications*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; 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