title: The effects of intravitreal bevacizumab on patients with macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of intravitreal bevacizumab on visual acuity (VA) and central retinal thickness (CRT) in patients with macular edema (ME) secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 42 patients with ME secondary to BRVO who received intravitreal injections of bevacizumab in 2 referral-based retinal practices in Vancouver, B.C., between November 2005 and July 2006.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective review of consecutive patients with ME secondary to BRVO. All of the patients in this study had nonischemic BRVOs. Patients were all treated with at least 1 bevacizumab injection and were seen at 6- to 8-week intervals for VA testing. Most of the patients also underwent optical coherence tomography (OCT) 2 months and 6 months after treatment. VA and OCT measurements at each follow-up time point were compared with the baseline values.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 42 eyes from 42 patients with ME secondary to BRVO were reviewed. The mean VA improved from 20/280 at baseline to 20/180 at first follow-up session (p < 0.04; average follow-up = 42 days) and remained at a similar level, 20/170, through the eighth follow-up session (p < 0.04; average follow-up = 356). The CRT was reduced from a mean of 451 microm (388-512 microm) at baseline to 358 microm (298-418 microm) at 2 months (p < 0.02) and to 400 microm (335-465 microm) at 6 months postinjection (p < 0.068).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found a significant improvement in VA and CRT in patients with ME secondary to BRVO after intravitreal bevacizumab injection(s). No complications or serious side effects were observed. Intravitreal bevacizumab appears to have an emerging role as either a primary or an adjuvant treatment modality in the setting of ME secondary to BRVO.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.
authors.forename: Amir Ali
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Ahmadi
authors.forename: Jean Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chuo
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Banashkevich
authors.forename: Patrick E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: David A L
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Maberley
mesh_terms: 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; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective 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
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab