title: The effect of intravitreal administration of bevacizumab on macular edema and visual acuity in age-related macular degeneration with subfoveolar choroidal neovascularisation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of the loss of central visual acuity in population older than 70 years. We can distinguish wet and dry form of AMD. The aim of the study was to present our early results in treatment of the wet (neovascular) form of AMD with intravitreal administration of bevacizumab.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 39 patients. Each patient underwent a complete ophthalmological examination, fluorescein angiography (FA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT). All the patients received 1.25 mg of intravitreal bevacizumab (0.05 mL of commercial phial of Avastin). The total of three doses was given with a one-month interval between doses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 39 patients, 24 were women and 15 men. The average best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was improved from 0.09 before the therapy to 0.24 after the administration of all the three doses of bevacizumab (p < 0.001). The average central macular thickness (CMT) measured by OCT was improved from 474 microm in the beginning to 341 microm after the administration of all the three doses of the drug (p < 0.001). There were no side effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our short-term experience indicates that intravitreal administration of three doses of bevacizumab in one-month intervals between the doses leads to a significant reduction of macular edema and improvement of BCVA in patients with neovascular AMD.
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology Clinic, Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, Serbia. dadana25@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Dragana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ristić
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vukosavljević
authors.forename: Biljana
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Draganić
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cerović
authors.forename: Nenad
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Petrović
authors.forename: Mirjana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Janićijević-Petrović
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005584:Fovea Centralis / Q000473:pathology; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab