Analysis of the effect of intravitreal bevacizumab injection on diabetic macular edema after cataract surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the feasibility and clinical effectiveness of intravitreal bevacizumab combined with cataract surgery for management of the postoperative increase of retinal thickness in patients with diabetic maculopathy.


METHODS
Prospective, randomized, masked cohort study.


METHODS
Forty-two eyes with diabetic macular edema (DME) of 42 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.


METHODS
Patients were randomly assigned to receive either cataract surgery only (control; 21 eyes) or combined with intravitreal injection of 1.25 mg bevacizumab (21 eyes). Efficacy measures included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) testing, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and ophthalmoscopic examination.


METHODS
Retinal thickness (RT) on OCT and BCVA were measured at baseline and 1 and 3 months after surgery.


RESULTS
There were no significant differences in RT, BCVA, severity of cataract, or systemic condition between the control and bevacizumab groups at the baseline. One and 3 months after surgery, the control group showed a significant increase in RT, whereas the bevacizumab group showed a significant decrease. Although postoperatively the eyes in both groups showed a significant improvement of BCVA, bevacizumab-treated eyes showed significantly better results (mean logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution, 0.38) than the control group (0.51) at month 3. There was a significant relationship between RT and visual acuity (VA) postoperatively in the control (P = 0.0001) and bevacizumab (P = 0.0141) groups. No systemic or ocular adverse events were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Short-term results suggest that intravitreal bevacizumab has the potential not only to prevent the increase in RT, but also reduce the RT of eyes with DME after cataract surgery. Further improvement of VA in bevacizumab-treated eyes may be dependent on a reduction in central RT.


BACKGROUND
The authors have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.
Takamura
Yoshihiro
Y
Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Eiheiji-cho, Yoshida-gun, Fukui-ken, Japan.
Kubo
Eri
E
Akagi
Yoshio
Y
D000368:Aged; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D002386:Cataract / Q000150:complications; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D019654:Lens Implantation, Intraocular; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D018918:Phacoemulsification; D011446:Prospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014822:Vitreous Body
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab