Therapeutic effect of subconjunctival injection of bevacizumab in the treatment of corneal neovascularization.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the efficacy of subconjunctival injection of bevacizumab in the treatment of patients with corneal neovascularization.


METHODS
Twenty-nine eyes of 29 patients with corneal neovascularization were treated with subconjunctival injection [1.25 mg/0.05 ml (seven eyes), 2.5 mg/0.1 ml (15 eyes) and 5.0 mg/0.2 ml (seven eyes)] of bevacizumab. Best-corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure and area of corneal neovascularization were measured before injection and at 1 week, 1 month and 3 months after treatment.


RESULTS
At 1 week, the mean neovascularized corneal area decreased significantly to 85.5 +/- 18.0% (p = 0.01) in the eyes treated with 2.5 mg bevacizumab and to 73.1 +/- 23.4% (p = 0.02) in the eyes treated with 5.0 mg bevacizumab. At 3 months, the mean neovascularized corneal area was 93.6 +/- 10.6% (p = 0.10 compared to baseline; p < 0.01 compared to 1 week) in the eyes treated with 2.5 mg bevacizumab and 83.3 +/- 25.8% (p = 0.03 compared to baseline; p = 0.02 compared to 1 week) in the eyes treated with 5.0 mg bevacizumab. However, there were no significant changes in the areas of the eyes injected with 1.25 mg bevacizumab.


CONCLUSIONS
Subconjunctival injection of bevacizumab can partially reduce corneal neovascularization in the short term, and the efficacy of this treatment correlates with the injection dose.
You
In-Cheon
IC
Department of Ophthalmology, Chonnam National University Medical School and Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.
Kang
In-Seong
IS
Lee
Seung-Hyun
SH
Yoon
Kyung-Chul
KC
D000328:Adult; 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; D003228:Conjunctiva; D016510:Corneal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005139:Eyeglasses; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D007429:Intraocular Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab