title: Intravitreal bevacizumab for extrafoveal choroidal neovascularization secondary to pathologic myopia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effects of intravitreal bevacizumab injections in the treatment of extrafoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) associated with pathologic myopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients diagnosed with pathologic myopia complicated by extrafoveal CNV were considered in this prospective, open-label interventional study. All patients underwent a complete ophthalmologic examination, including Early Treatment Early of Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) visual acuity measurement, optical coherence tomography, and fluorescein angiography. The protocol treatment included a first injection, followed by repeated injections over a 24-month follow-up period on the basis of optical coherence tomography and angiographic features, monitored monthly. Primary outcomes were the mean changes in best-corrected visual acuity and the proportion of eyes gaining at least 15 letters at the 24-month examination. Secondary outcomes included central macular thickness, size of the CNV, and extension to the fovea.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifteen patients were included in the study. Mean best-corrected visual acuity changed from 0.47 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (20/60 Snellen equivalent) at baseline to 0.22 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (20/30 Snellen equivalent) at the 24-month examination. An improvement of at least 3 ETDRS lines was achieved by 7 eyes (46.6%) at the 24-month examination. Mean central macular thickness changed from 313 μm to 254 μm at the 24-month examination (P = 0.008). Mean CNV size decreased from 348 μm2 to 251 μm2 at 24 months (P = 0.029).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intravitreal bevacizumab injection is a beneficial treatment for extrafoveal CNV associated with pathologic myopia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University Vita-Salute, Scientific Institute San Raffaele, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Maurizio B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Parodi
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Iacono
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papayannis
authors.forename: Stylianos
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kontadakis
authors.forename: Maria L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Cascavilla
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zucchiatti
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bandello
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005584:Fovea Centralis; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D047728:Myopia, Degenerative / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; 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