Retinal pigment epithelial tears after single administration of intravitreal bevacizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) tears following single administration of intravitreal bevacizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) during early follow-up.


METHODS
Interventional, retrospective, non-comparative case series included 397 patients (409 eyes) of the 746 consecutive patients that met the eligibility criteria. Standardized visual acuity testing, fluorescein angiography, and optical coherence tomography were performed. Data collected included status of the fellow eye, previous treatment, subtypes of choroidal neovascularization (CNV), size and composition of the lesion. Multiple linear regression modelling was used to explore the effect of baseline parameters on the RPE tears. Primary end point was occurrence of RPE tears within 6 weeks after therapy.


RESULTS
Fifteen of the 409 eyes (3.6%) developed RPE tear (95% confidence interval: 2.2-6.0, odds ratio: 26.3). The statistical modelling showed significant association between RPE tear and occult without classic CNV/predominantly haemorrhage vspredominantly/minimal classic CNV (P=0.019), as well as medium or large (>4 disc area) vssmall size of the total lesion (P=0.038). Previous treatment and status of the fellow eye did not statistically influence the risk of RPE tears.


CONCLUSIONS
An RPE tear can develop in up to 3.6% of eyes with neovascular AMD following single administration of intravitreal bevacizumab in a short-term follow-up. Medium and large lesion size and occult without classic and predominantly haemorrhagic subtype of CNV were important predictive factors. Preoperative assessment of the lesion characteristics may help in identifying the risk of individual patients with neovascular AMD before intravitreal bevacizumab treatment.
Gelisken
F
F
Center for Ophthalmology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, BW, Germany. faik.gelisken@med.uni-tuebingen.de
Ziemssen
F
F
Voelker
M
M
Bartz-Schmidt
K U
KU
Inhoffen
W
W
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; 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* / Q000473:pathology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D056965:Injections, Intraocular; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012166:Retinal Hemorrhage / Q000150:complications; D012167:Retinal Perforations / Q000139:chemically induced*; D055213:Retinal Pigment Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab