title: 6-weekly bevacizumab versus 4-weekly ranibizumab for neovascular age-related macular degeneration: a 2-year outcome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare visual acuity and central macular thickness (CMT) changes in neovascular age related macular degeneration patients treated with either 6 weekly bevacizumab regimen or 4 weekly ranibizumab on an as required basis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients made an informed choice between bevacizumab 1.25 mg or ranibizumab 0.5 mg. The selected treatment was administered in the first 3 visits. Bevacizumab patients were followed-up 6 weekly and ranibizumab 4 weekly. Retreatment criteria was based on the reduction of >5 letters in the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), the presence of retinal fluid on optical coherence tomography (OCT) or new retinal haemorrhage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Visual acuity at 2y bevacizumab patients gained 7.0 letters and ranibizumab 9.2 (P=0.31, 95% CI -6.4 to 2.0). At 2y 86% of bevacizumab and 94% ranibizumab patients had not lost 15 letters or more (P=0.13). Mean CMT decreased at 2y bevacizumab by 146 µm, ranibizumab 160 µm (P=0.72). Mean number of injections was at 2y bevacizumzb 11.9, ranibizumab 10.3 (P=0.023).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bevacizumab 6 weekly on an as required basis was not demonstrably non-inferior to ranibizumab 4 weekly pro re nata (prn) in terms of BCVA and change in CMT. In the bevacizumab group, one more injection was required in the second year compared to the ranibizumab group.
authors.affiliation: St.Paul's Eye Unit, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool L7 8XP, UK; Eye Care Centre, Leighton Hospital, Crewe CW1 4QJ, UK; Eye Department, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester LE1 5WW, UK.
authors.forename: Patrick J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Chiam
authors.affiliation: St.Paul's Eye Unit, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool L7 8XP, UK; Eye Care Centre, Leighton Hospital, Crewe CW1 4QJ, UK.
authors.forename: Vivian W
authors.initials: VW
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: St.Paul's Eye Unit, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool L7 8XP, UK; Eye Care Centre, Leighton Hospital, Crewe CW1 4QJ, UK.
authors.forename: Nicholas M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Hickley
authors.affiliation: Eye Care Centre, Leighton Hospital, Crewe CW1 4QJ, UK.
authors.forename: Venkat
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kotamarthi
keywords: bevacizumab; neovascular age-related macular degeneration; ranibizumab; treatment on as required basis