title: The effect of intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin) injection on retinal blood flow velocity in patients with choroidal neovascularization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the short-term effects of intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin) on retinal blood flow velocity and compare them to clinical outcomes assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and tests of visual acuity.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Retinal Function Imager (RFI) was used noninvasively and quantitatively to measure retinal blood flow velocity. Eight patients receiving intravitreal injection of Avastin for choroidal neovascularization (CNV) were included in this study. All were imaged by the RFI preinjection and 1 and 7 days postinjection. Visual acuity (VA) and OCT were recorded preinjection and 1 month postinjection. Comparisons were performed using paired Student t test and correlation using Spearman rank test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A good correlation was found between the 1-month change in VA and OCT measurements and the short-term change induced in blood flow velocity. Arterial and venous velocity changes 1 day after the injection correlated with the VA change (p<0.05). The 1-day arterial velocity changes correlated with total macular volume (p=0.02) and venous velocity changes correlated to central macular thickness (p = 0.04).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The RFI provides a noninvasive technique to assess early hemodynamic responses to intravitreal injection of Avastin. These early changes may prove important for better understanding of the mechanism underlying this treatment and serve as a quantitative marker for treatment optimization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv - Israel.
authors.forename: Adiel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barak
authors.forename: Zvia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Burgansky-Eliash
authors.forename: Hila
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Barash
authors.forename: Darin A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Amiram
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grinvald
authors.forename: Anat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loewenstein
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000502:physiology*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; 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