title: Intravitreal bevacizumab for retinal vein occlusion and early growth of epiretinal membrane: a possible secondary effect?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the early development of epiretinal membranes (ERM) in eyes with retinal vein occlusions (RVO) treated with intravitreal bevacizumab and to describe possible mechanisms that may be involved in the growth and contraction of these lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective and interventional study that included 25 eyes of 25 patients with RVO (16 eyes with central retinal vein occlusion and nine eyes with branch retinal vein occlusion). After an initial 2.5mg/0.1ml intravitreal bevacizumab injection all patients were followed-up every 6 weeks. Re-treatments were based on visual acuity and optical coherence tomography findings. Results Twenty-five eyes were treated with bevacizumab and followed for 8.3 (range 4.5-13.5) months. Four eyes developed an ERM within 6-7weeks after the administration of bevacizumab. ERM was not associated with further deterioration of visual acuity or metamorphopsia in these patients. A rebound of macular oedema was observed in one patient with ERM and in two other patients. No other side effects were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intravitreal bevacizumab may be associated with an early growth of ERM in eyes with RVO, although a causative relationship cannot be established. Future randomised clinical trials are necessary to determine the efficacy and safety profile of this novel therapy.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Tecnológico de Oftalmología, Hospital Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza, Av de las Burgas 2, Santiago de Compostela, Spain. jmarticorena@gmail.com
authors.forename: Joaquin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marticorena
authors.forename: Mario R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.forename: Heinrich
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Heimann
authors.forename: Theodore
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stappler
authors.forename: Kurshid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gibran
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Groenewald
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pearce
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; 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; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D019773:Epiretinal Membrane / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab