title: Intravitreal ranibizumab for the treatment of choroidal neovascularizations associated with pathologic myopia: a prospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It was the aim of this study to determine the efficacy of intravitreal ranibizumab as treatment of choroidal neovascularizations associated with pathologic myopia.
  
  
  METHODS
  In an uncontrolled, prospective time series cohort study, 65 eyes of 64 consecutive patients with choroidal neovascularization associated with pathologic myopia were treated with intravitreal ranibizumab and observed over 12 months. The change in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at 6 and 12 months served as primary end point. Safety, central retinal thickness, neovascularization activity on fluorescein angiography and the number of ranibizumab injections were secondary end points.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BCVA improved significantly throughout the follow-up (p = 0.001). The mean BCVA was 0.2 at baseline (SD 0.13) and 0.4 at 12 months (SD 0.21). Improvement was strongest within the first 3 months (p = 0.0001). The mean central retinal thickness showed a reduction from 313 μm (SD 82) to 243.5 μm (SD 31; p = 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intravitreal ranibizumab offers a safe and effective treatment for choroidal neovascularizations in pathologic myopia.
authors.affiliation: State Institution 'The Filatov Institute of Eye Diseases and Tissue Therapy of the NAMS of Ukraine', Odessa, Ukraine.
authors.forename: Nataliya V
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Pasyechnikova
authors.forename: Volodymyr O
authors.initials: VO
authors.lastname: Naumenko
authors.forename: Andrii R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Korol
authors.forename: Oleg S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Zadorozhnyy
authors.forename: Taras B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Kustryn
authors.forename: Paul B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Henrich
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D047728:Myopia, Degenerative / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000069579:Ranibizumab; 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; D000069579:Ranibizumab