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


METHODS
Prospective, open-label, nonrandomized clinical study.


METHODS
Fifty-one patients (51 eyes) with subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) resulting from AMD participated in this study at the American University of Beirut and Hotel Dieu de France Retina Clinics. These patients had already completed 12 months of follow-up. The criteria for reinjection were presence of fluid in the macula, increased central retinal thickness (CRT) of at least 100 microm, loss of at least 5 letters of vision associated with increased fluid in the macula, new classic CNV, or new macular hemorrhage. The main outcome measure was the proportion of eyes losing fewer than 15 letters of vision after 12 months.


RESULTS
Fifty-one patients (51 eyes) completed the additional 12 months. Mean visual acuity improved from 45.7 letters at baseline to 54.3 letters at 24 months (P = .001), and 47 eyes (92.2%) lost fewer than 15 letters. Mean CRT decreased from 327.4 microm at baseline to 246.6 mum at 24 months (P < .001). A mean of 1.5 injections were administered over the course of the second year. No serious ocular or systemic side effects were noted.


CONCLUSIONS
Eyes with neovascular AMD treated with intravitreal bevacizumab over 2 years had significant anatomic and functional improvement compared with baseline. Further studies are necessary to confirm the long-term efficacy and safety 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 R
AR
Jaafar
Rola F
RF
Saad
Alain
A
Noureddin
Baha' N
BN
D000368:Aged; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology; D019233:Retreatment; 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