title: Intravitreal injection of bevacizumab combined with macular grid laser photocoagulation for macular edema in branch retinal vein occlusion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of combined therapy of intravitreal injections of bevacizumab (IVB) and additional macular grid laser photocoagulation for recurrent macular edema in branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective interventional case series in which 44 eyes of 44 patients with macular edema due to BRVO were studied. The mean follow-up term was 77.2 ± 12.4 weeks. All patients underwent IVB as a primary therapy. After two to three IVB, 19 of the 44 eyes (43.2%) underwent laser photocoagulation in the macular edema area to prevent the recurrence of the edema. In the other 25 eyes (56.8%), macular edema was successfully treated with IVB only. Visual acuity and central macular thickness (CMT) were examined during the follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean visual acuity and the mean CMT in both groups improved significantly after the IVB. Following macular grid laser photocoagulation for recurrent macular edema, the mean visual acuity was maintained for 24 weeks, however, the mean CMT increased significantly after 12 weeks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Additional grid laser photocoagulation for recurrent macular edema in BRVO after IVB maintained mean visual acuity with limited effects on the further recurrence of macular edema.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930-0194, Japan. ganka@med.u-toyama.ac.jp
authors: Atsushi
authors: A
authors: Hayashi
authors: Tatsuya
authors: T
authors: Yunoki
authors: Akio
authors: A
authors: Miyakoshi
authors: Keiichi
authors: K
authors: Mitarai
authors: Takahiro
authors: T
authors: Fujino
authors: Shuichiro
authors: S
authors: Yanagisawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D019233:Retreatment; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab