Short-term safety and efficacy of a single intravitreal bevacizumab injection for the management of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the short-term safety and efficacy of a single intravitreal bevacizumab injection in patients with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV).


METHODS
The records of patients treated with intravitreal bevacizumab for PCV were retrospectively reviewed. All patients were evaluated by complete ophthalmic examination, optical coherence tomography and fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography. Changes in visual acuity and central retinal thickness (CRT) over 3 months were the main outcome measures.


RESULTS
Nineteen eyes of 18 patients were included. No serious ocular or systemic adverse events were observed. The median baseline visual acuity and CRT were 20/100 and 230 microm, respectively. After 1 month, there was no significant improvement in median visual acuity (20/80(+1); p = 0.055), but median CRT had decreased significantly (160 microm; p < 0.001). After 3 months (data available for 17 eyes), both median visual acuity (20/63(-2); p = 0.001) and CRT (190 microm; p = 0.007) showed significant improvements over baseline values.


CONCLUSIONS
Intravitreal bevacizumab therapy for PCV was well tolerated over the 3-month follow-up period. Short-term results are promising, but further studies are necessary to evaluate long-term efficacy.
Song
Ji Hun
JH
The Institute of Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Byeon
Suk Ho
SH
Lee
Sung Chul
SC
Koh
Hyoung Jun
HJ
Kwon
Oh Woong
OW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects; D014822:Vitreous Body
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab