title: Short-term effectiveness of intravitreal bevacizumab versus ranibizumab injections for patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effectiveness of three consecutive intravitreal injections of bevacizumab (Avastin) and ranibizumab (Lucentis) in patients with treatment-naïve neovascular age-related macular degeneration.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective comparative study of qualifying consecutively treated patients (n = 176) with new-onset subfoveal choroidal neovascularization presenting at 6 retina referral centers. Patients were treated with 3 consecutive monthly injections of ranibizumab (0.5 mg) or 3 injections of bevacizumab every 6 weeks (1.25 mg) as determined by physician and patient preference. Ophthalmologic evaluations included monthly visual acuity measurements, ocular examinations, and optical coherence tomography imaging at each visit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A 29.2% reduction in the mean central foveal thickness measurement through optical coherence tomography was found in the ranibizumab-treated patients versus a 20.9% reduction in the bevacizumab-treated patients (P <or= 0.02). Fifty-three percent of ranibizumab-treated patients had returned to a central foveal thickness of <200 microm by the completion of 3 injections compared with 35% of patients treated with bevacizumab (P <or= 0.07). No ocular or systemic adverse events were reported in either group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short-term effectiveness of ranibizumab treatment, as measured by incremental improvement in optical coherence tomography parameters, was significantly greater than bevacizumab treatment, suggesting that there is a difference in the biologic activities of ranibizumab and bevacizumab.
authors.affiliation: Retina Institute of California, Pasadena, California 91105, USA.tchang@retina2020.com
authors.forename: Tom S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Gregg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kokame
authors.forename: Raynor
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Casey
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prenner
authors.forename: Leonard
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Feiner
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: 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; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D000069579:Ranibizumab; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology; 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; D000069579:Ranibizumab