Intravitreal bevacizumab for treatment of diabetic macular edema

• Published in: Korean journal of ophthalmology Vol. 23; no. 1; pp. 17 - 22
• Main Authors: Seo, Jeong Won, Park, In Won
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) The Korean Ophthalmological Society 01.03.2009; 대한안과학회
• Subjects: Angiogenesis Inhibitors - administration & dosage; Antibodies, Monoclonal - administration & dosage; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; Bevacizumab; Diabetic Retinopathy - drug therapy; Diabetic Retinopathy - pathology; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Injections; Laser Therapy - methods; Macular Edema - drug therapy; Macular Edema - pathology; Male; Middle Aged; Original; Retrospective Studies; Time Factors; Tomography, Optical Coherence; Treatment Outcome; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - antagonists & inhibitors; Visual Acuity; Vitrectomy - methods; Vitreous Body; 안과학; Diabetic macular edema; Intravitreal bevacizumab injection
• ISSN: 1011-8942; 2092-9382
• DOI: 10.3341/kjo.2009.23.1.17

To evaluate the effect of intravitreal bevacizumab on visual function and retinal thickness in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME). Thirty eyes of twenty-eight patients (mean age, 57.9+/-13.8 years) with DME were included in this study. Complete ophthalmic examination, including determination of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), stereoscopic biomicroscopy, and retinal thickness measurement by optical coherence tomography (OCT), was done at baseline and at each follow-up visit. All patients were treated with a 0.05 mL intravitreal injection containing 1.25 mg of bevacizumab. All patients completed 3 months of follow-up with a mean follow-up period of 5.26+/-2.39 months. The mean BCVA at baseline was 0.73+/-0.36 logMAR, which significantly improved to 0.63+/-0.41 (p=0.02), 0.58+/-0.36 (p=0.003), and 0.61+/-0.40 logMAR (p=0.006) at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months. Final BCVA analysis demonstrated that 15 eyes (50%) remained stable and 12 (40%) improved >or=2 lines on BCVA. The mean central retinal thickness was 498.96+/-123.99 microm at baseline and decreased to 359.06+/-105.97 (p<0.001), 334.40+/-121.76 (p<0.001), 421.40+/-192.76 microm (p=0.035) at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months. No ocular toxicity or adverse effects were observed. Intravitreal bevacizumab injection resulted in significant improvement in BCVA and central retinal thickness as early as 1 week after injection in patients with DME, and this beneficial effect persisted for up to 3 months. However, the slight reduction in this improvement at 3 months suggests that repeated bevacizumab injections might be necessary. To evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy, further prospective randomized controlled clinical trials will be needed.