title: Bevacizumab in central retinal vein occlusion: a retrospective analysis after 2 years of treatment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Bevacizumab (Avastin) was first used clinically in 2005. Reports on the treatment of more than 600 patients with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) have been published to date. However, there are limited data on the long-term effects of bevacizumab in patients with CRVO.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively re-evaluated 10 patients with CRVO who were initially part of one of the first published case series on the short-term effects of bevacizumab. The patients were invited for a follow-up visit 2 years after their initial bevacizumab injection. Study endpoints were changes in visual acuity (VA) and central macular edema (CME) compared to 1) baseline values and 2) short-term values after the initial injection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Short-term VA gain had been 2.9 lines 3 weeks after the first bevacizumab injection. Two years later, mean VA gain vs baseline was 1.6 lines. Low baseline VA and good response to the first injection correlated positively with higher long-term VA gains (Pearson correlation of r = 0.50 and r = 0.66). There was no correlation for injection number, occlusion time, or CME changes with long-term VA gain.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The initial short-term VA gain after bevacizumab treatment was not always maintained over a 2-year period despite repeated injections. Patients with low baseline VA and good response to the first injection seemed to benefit most from repeated bevacizumab injections.
authors.affiliation: University Eye Hospital, Freiburg, Germany. andreas.stahl@uniklinik-freiburg.de
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stahl
authors.forename: Isabell
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Struebin
authors.forename: Lutz L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Hansjürgen T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Agostini
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Feltgen
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019233:Retreatment; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; 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