title: Predictive factors for functional improvement following intravitreal bevacizumab injections after central retinal vein occlusion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Vision loss in central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) is mostly caused by macular edema (ME) and can be treated with intravitreal bevacizumab injections. The goal of this study was to identify predictive factors for improvement in visual acuity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred and sixteen eyes of six centres having received intravitreal bevacizumab for ME due to CRVO were enrolled in this multicentre, retrospective, interventional case series. The follow-up time was 24 to 48 weeks. Investigated patient characteristics were pretreatment, duration of CRVO prior to the first injection, initial best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), baseline central retinal thickness as measured by optical coherence tomography, gender, eye, age, comorbidity with glaucoma, systemic hypertension, or diabetes mellitus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multiple regression analysis confirmed the following baseline predictive factors for an increase in visual acuity: low BCVA (p < 0.001), high CRT (p < 0.02), and treatment naïve patients (p = 0.03). None of the other investigated patient characteristics could be identified as prognostic factors for increase in visual acuity (p > 0.1).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intravitreal injections of bevacizumab in a routine clinical setting effectively improved and stabilized BCVA in CRVO. Our large multicenter study identified initial BCVA, baseline CRT, and pre-treatment as prognostic factors for visual improvement.
authors.affiliation: Eye Clinic Sulzbach, Knappschaftsklinikum Sulzbach Saar, An der Klinik 10, 66111, Sulzbach/Saar, Germany. Kai.januschowski@med.uni-tuebingen.de.|Centre for Ophthalmology, University Eye Clinic Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany. Kai.januschowski@med.uni-tuebingen.de.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Januschowski
authors.affiliation: University Eye Hospital, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Feltgen
authors.affiliation: University Eye Hospital, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.|Eye Center, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Amelie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pielen
authors.affiliation: Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Spitzer
authors.affiliation: Augenklinik Universitätsmedizin Berlin Charité, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Matus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rehak
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, St. Franziskus Hospital, Muenster, Germany.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Spital
authors.affiliation: Centre for Ophthalmology, University Eye Clinic Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Spyridon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dimopoulos
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Carsten H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.affiliation: Eye Clinic Sulzbach, Knappschaftsklinikum Sulzbach Saar, An der Klinik 10, 66111, Sulzbach/Saar, Germany.|Centre for Ophthalmology, University Eye Clinic Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Gesine B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Szurman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000068258:Bevacizumab / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D020127:Recovery of Function; D055213:Retinal Pigment Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000068258:Bevacizumab
keywords: Bevacizumab; Central retinal vein occlusion; Intravitreal injection; Macular edema; Prognostic factors