title: Bevacizumab intravitreal injections in the treatment of diabetic macular oedema.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate effectiveness of bevacizumab intravitreal injections in the treatment of diabetic macular oedema.
  
  
  METHODS
  The perspective study included 22 eyes in 22 patients with clinically significant diabetic macular oedema confirmed by fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography. Mean age of the patients was 60.6 +/- 12.4 years, while mean diabetes duration was 16.0 +/- 9.3 years. Vision acuity (expressed in logMAR scale), as well as anterior and posterior part of the eye were evaluated. Central retinal thickness was measured with the use of optical coherence tomography Topcon 3D OCT 1000 apparatus before and 3 weeks following each injection. Bevacizumab was administered intravitrealy in the dose of 1.25 mg/0.05 ml at monthly intervals. 10 patients were administered 3 injections, 5 patients - 2, while 7 - only 1 injection. The injection therapy was discontinued when the patients gained full vision acuity or when central retinal thickness was reduced to <250 microm. Statistical analysis of the results was performed with the use of Wilcoxon test, with significance p <0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean vision acuity prior to the therapy amounted to 0.50 (0.15-1.50) logMAR and after the first injection improved to 0.40 (0.00-1.30) logMAR (p = 0.044). Further improvement was observed after subsequent injections. As regards patients who were administered 3 injections, mean vision acuity observed after further injections improved significantly from 0.50 (0.15-1.50) logMAR prior to the treatment to: 0.45 (0.1-1.3) (p = 0.078), 0.35 (0.00-1.30) (p = 0.011), 0.25 (0.05-1.20) (p = 0.007) and 0.30 (0.10-0.70) logMAR (p = 0.018). The first injection caused no reduction of retinal thickness - 368 microm (234-708) vs. 389 (236-642) microm (p=0.602). However, ollowing further injections decreased retinal thickness compared to the initial values; yet the differences were not significant. Retinal thickness following three injections amounted to: 407 (312-701) microm prior to the treatment, 441 (323-634) microm one month after the first injection (p = 0.959), 340 (281-679) one month after the second injection (p = 0.126), 331 (244-568) one month after the third injection (p = 0.086) and 348 (147-627) three months after the third injection (p = 0.176).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intravitreal bevacizumab injections in patients with diabetic macular oedema caused a significant improvement of vision acuity and a significant reduction of central retinal thickness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Białystok, Poland. wojnargosia@tlen.pl
authors.forename: Wojnar
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Małgorzata
authors.forename: Dmuchowska
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Diana
authors.forename: Bartczak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Agnieszka
authors.forename: Mariak
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zofia
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab