title: Intravitreal bevacizumab versus triamcinolone acetonide for macular edema due to branch retinal vein occlusion: a matched study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) is a common retinal vascular disorder of the elderly and both intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide (TA) and intravitreal bevacizumab were reported to be effective. The purpose of this study was to compare intravitreal bevacizumab with intravitreal TA for the treatment of macular edema resulting from BRVO.
  
  
  METHODS
  The retrospectively comparative interventional study included a bevacizumab group of 34 BRVO patients (1.25 mg bevacizumab) and a TA group of 34 BRVO patients (4.0 mg TA), and the two groups were matched by baseline best corrected visual acuity (BCVA). Examinations were designed to be carried out at 1 day, 3 days, 1 month, 2 months, 3 months, 6 months and 1 year after each injection. The mean follow-up was (148.43 +/- 130.56) days. Main outcome parameters were BCVA and morphometric measurements of the macula obtained by optical coherence tomography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all follow-ups, the mean changes of BCVA (LogMAR) between two groups were not significantly different (P > 0.10). Similarly, the rates of patients who got BCVA improvement > or = 2 lines or lost BCVA > or = 2 lines were not significantly different, either (P > 0.10). In both groups, compared with baseline, the mean central macular thickness (CMT) got reduction from 4 weeks to 1 year after initial injection, however, which lost statistical significance at 6-month follow-up in TA group (P = 0.25) and lost significance at 3-month and 6-month follow-up in bevacizumab group (P = 0.07, 0.21). The mean CMT between two groups differed at 3-month follow-up (P < 0.01), while almost kept parallel in other follow-ups (all P > 0.40). In TA group, retinal pigment epithelium tear occurred in 1 eye at 8 weeks after initial injection and 12 eyes (35.3%) got intraocular pressure > 21 mmHg. In bevacizumab group, no severe complications were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For BRVO, intravitreal bevacizumab versus intravitreal TA causes a similar increase in visual acuity and reduction of macular edema (except 3-month follow-up) with minor complications during 1 year.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors: Jing
authors: J
authors: Hou
authors: Yong
authors: Y
authors: Tao
authors: Yan-rong
authors: YR
authors: Jiang
authors: Xiao-xin
authors: XX
authors: Li
authors: Lei
authors: L
authors: Gao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000150:complications*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014822:Vitreous Body
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide