title: 5-Fluorouracil vs avastin as adjunct to conjunctival autograft in the surgical treatment of pterygium.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The use of adjunct antimetabolite therapy along with conjunctiva autograft has been shown to be effective in preventing pterygium recurrence. There has however been fewer reports on the effect of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor on pterygium recurrence.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare 5-fluorouracil with conjunctival autograft with bevacizumab (avastin) used along with autograft in the surgical treatment of pterygium.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized controlled prospective study of outcome of pterygium treatment using 5-fluorouracil with conjunctiva autograft as adjuvant treatment compared avastin with conjunctiva autograft.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 70 eyes of 70 patients were recruited into the study with a mean age of 51.49 (±14.36) years. Thirty-five patients each were randomized into the 5-fluorouracil treatment group and into the avastin treatment group respectively. The mean follow-up was 18.35 months (18.44 for the 5-FU and 18.26 for the avastin group). Post operative, pterygium recurrence was observed in 1/27 (3.7%) eyes treated with 5-fluorouracil and 1/26 (3.9%) eyes of the avastin group. Both recurrences were observed at 1 year of follow-up and they were both female patients aged 46 and 52 years, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both 5-fluorouracil and avastin are comparably effective as adjunct to conjunctival autograft. However, cost, availability, and convenience are other considerations with use of avastin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University College Hospital; Department of Ophthalmology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.|Department of Ophthalmology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: C O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Bekibele
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.|Ancilla Catholic Hospital Eye Centre, Agege-Ogba, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Sarimiye
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University College Hospital; Department of Ophthalmology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.|Department of Ophthalmology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ogundipe
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Olaniyan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000963:Antimetabolites / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D064592:Autografts; D000068258:Bevacizumab / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000637:transplantation*; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011625:Pterygium / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D012008:Recurrence; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000963:Antimetabolites; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D005472:Fluorouracil