title: Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs safety and efficacy in ophthalmic diseases.
abstract: Macular degeneration is the leading cause of blindness in developed countries. In the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has emerged as a key target for therapy. The intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF drugs has been widely employed to reduce the disease progression and improve the visual outcomes of the affected patients. However, each intravitreal inoculation poses a risk of several complications as infection, inflammation, endophthalmitis, intraocular inflammation, increase of intraocular pressure and vitreous hemorrhage. This short review evaluates the efficacy and the incidence of adverse drug reactions related to intravitreal administration of the main anti-VEGF drugs actually available: Bevacizumab, ranibizumab and aflibercept.
authors.affiliation: Department of Science of Health, School of Medicine, University of Catanzaro, Italy ; Department of Science of Health, Pharmacovigilance's Centre Calabria Region, University Hospital Mater Domini, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ventrice
authors.affiliation: Department of Science of Health, School of Medicine, University of Catanzaro, Italy ; Department of Science of Health, Pharmacovigilance's Centre Calabria Region, University Hospital Mater Domini, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leporini
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Unit, Giovanni Paolo II Hospital, Lamezia Terme, Italy.
authors.forename: Jose' Francisco
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Aloe
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology Unit, Giovanni Paolo II Hospital, Lamezia Terme, Italy.
authors.forename: Ettore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Greco
authors.affiliation: Department of Science of Health, School of Medicine, University of Catanzaro, Italy ; Department of Science of Health, Pharmacovigilance's Centre Calabria Region, University Hospital Mater Domini, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Giacomo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Leuzzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Science of Health, School of Medicine, University of Catanzaro, Italy ; Department of Science of Health, Pharmacovigilance's Centre Calabria Region, University Hospital Mater Domini, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marrazzo
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of "Magna Graecia", Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni Battista
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Scorcia
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of "Magna Graecia", Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Donatella
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bruzzichesi
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of "Magna Graecia", Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Varano
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nicola
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of "Magna Graecia", Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Scorcia
keywords: Adverse drug reactions; aflibercept; age-related macular degeneration; bevacizumab; choroidal neovascularization; ranibizumab