Intravitreal bevacizumab (avastin) injection as primary treatment of inflammatory choroidal neovascularization.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effects of intravitreal bevacizumab injection as primary treatment of inflammatory choroidal neovascularization (CNV).


METHODS
Data for nine consecutive patients with newly diagnosed inflammatory CNV who were treated with intravitreal bevacizumab (1.25 mg) injection were reviewed retrospectively. Main outcome measures were best-corrected visual acuity, foveal thickness measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT), and complete resolution of CNV.


RESULTS
CNV resolved completely in 9 (100%) of 9 affected eyes. At the last examination, visual acuity was improved in 8 eyes (88.8%), stable in 1 (11.2%), and worse in 0. Over a mean follow-up of 7.1 months (range, 6-10 months), 7 eyes received 1 injection, 1 eye developed CNV recurrence and required a second injection, and 1 eye required a third injection. Foveal thickness by OCT decreased significantly (P = 0.049) after treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
In this small case series of eyes with limited follow-up, intravitreal bevacizumab injection for treatment of inflammatory CNV was found to be safe and was associated with favorable visual outcomes for both subfoveal and juxtafoveal or extrafoveal inflammatory CNV.
Department of Ophthalmology, Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, Universidad de Barcelona, Spain. amadan@clinic.ub.es
Alfredo
A
Adán
Carlos
C
Mateo
Rafael
R
Navarro
Elena
E
Bitrian
Ricardo P
RP
Casaroli-Marano
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002833:Choroiditis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005584:Fovea Centralis / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; 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; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab