Intravitreal bevacizumab for treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration: a one-year prospective study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the efficacy of intravitreal bevacizumab for treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD).


METHODS
Prospective, open-label, nonrandomized clinical study.


METHODS
Sixty patients (60 eyes) with subfoveal choroidal neovascular membrane (CNV) attributable to AMD participated in this study at the American University of Beirut and Hotel Dieu de France Retina Clinics. All lesion types were included except for retinal angiomatous proliferation. In the initial treatment phase, intravitreal bevacizumab (2.5 mg/0.1 ml) was given at baseline, and then two additional monthly injections were given if the macula was not dry on optical coherence tomography. The criteria for re-injection after the induction phase were presence of new fluid in the macula, increased central retinal thickness (CRT) at least 100 microm, loss of at least five letters of vision with increased fluid in the macula, new classic CNV or new macular hemorrhages. Main outcome measure was the proportion of eyes losing <15 letters of vision after 12 months.


RESULTS
Fifty-one patients (51 eyes) completed the 12 months. Mean visual acuity improved from 45.7 letters at baseline to 53.1 letters at 12 months (P = .004), and 47 eyes (92.2%) lost <15 letters. Mean CRT decreased from 327.4 microm at baseline to 227.8 microm at 12 months (P < .001). A mean of 3.4 injections were given over the course of the study, and no ocular or systemic side-effects were noted.


CONCLUSIONS
Eyes with neovascular AMD treated with intravitreal bevacizumab over 12 months had significant anatomical and functional improvement. Further studies need to confirm the long-term efficacy of this treatment.
Bashshur
Ziad F
ZF
Department of Ophthalmology, American University of Beirut-Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon. zb00@aub.edu.lb
Haddad
Zeina A
ZA
Schakal
Alexandre
A
Jaafar
Rola F
RF
Saab
Marc
M
Noureddin
Baha' N
BN
D000368:Aged; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; 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