title: Efficacy of intralesional bevacizumab injection in decreasing pterygium size.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy of intralesional bevacizumab injection in decreasing size of pterygium.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen patients with pterygium (14 with primary and 3 with recurrent pterygium) received intralesional injections of bevacizumab (2.5 mg/0.1 mL). Digital photographs were analyzed by image analysis software to determine the change of corneal involvement as a percentage of the total corneal surface.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the patients was 45.5 ± 15.8 years. The mean percentage size of lesions before injection was 17.2% ± 4.3% of corneal surface. The mean percentage size of lesions 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after injection was 15.1% ± 4.3%, 13.4% ± 4.0%, and 14.1% ± 4.4% of corneal surface, respectively. The mean percentage decrease of lesion size was 3.97% ± 3.84%. There were statistically significant differences between percentage of lesion size before and 1 week (P < 0.001), 1 month (P < 0.001), and 3 months (P < 0.001) after injection of bevacizumab. There were neither postinjection ocular complications such as rise of intraocular pressure nor systemic adverse events. Visual acuity did not change after injection of bevacizumab. Despite statistically significant decrease in pterygium size, this decrease does not seem to be clinically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intralesional bevacizumab injection is fairly effective in reducing the size of pterygium and is well tolerated; however, this effect is not clinically significant.
authors.affiliation: Eye Research Center, Farabi Eye Hospital, Cornea Department, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. mahammadpour@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Fallah Tafti
authors.forename: Keivan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Khosravifard
authors.forename: Mehrdad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohammadpour
authors.forename: Mohammad Naser
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Hashemian
authors.forename: Mohammad Yaser
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Kiarudi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D003229:Conjunctival Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D015552:Injections, Intralesional; D008875:Middle Aged; D010781:Photography / Q000379:methods; D011625:Pterygium / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab