Intravitreous bevacizumab to treat subfoveal choroidal neovascularization in highly myopic eyes: short-term results

• Published in: Eye (London) Vol. 23; no. 2; pp. 334 - 338
• Main Authors: Ruiz-Moreno, J M, Gomez-Ulla, F, Montero, J A, Ares, S, Lopez-Lopez, F, Rodriguez, M, Fernandez, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.02.2009; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Angiogenesis Inhibitors - administration & dosage; Angiogenesis Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Antibodies, Monoclonal - administration & dosage; Antibodies, Monoclonal - therapeutic use; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; Bevacizumab; Biological and medical sciences; Choroidal Neovascularization - drug therapy; Choroidal Neovascularization - etiology; Choroidal Neovascularization - physiopathology; clinical-study; Female; Humans; Injections, Intraocular; Laboratory Medicine; Male; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Myopia, Degenerative - complications; Myopia, Degenerative - physiopathology; Ophthalmology; Pharmaceutical Sciences/Technology; Pilot Projects; Prospective Studies; Surgery; Surgical Oncology; Treatment Outcome; Vision disorders; Visual Acuity; Vitreous Body; bevacizumab; intravitreal injection; high myopia; choroidal neovascularization; Antineoplastic agent; Short term; Choroidal neovascularization; Vision disorder; Vitreous body; Monoclonal antibody; Injection; Bevacizumab; Immunomodulator; Eye; Eye disease; Vascular endothelium growth factor; Treatment; Refractive error; High myopia; Ophthalmology; Antiangiogenic agent
• ISSN: 0950-222X; 1476-5454
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.eye.6703052

Aim To describe the anatomical and visual outcome of subfoveal and juxtafoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in highly myopic eyes treated by intravitreal bevacizumab. Methods Prospective, nonrandomized, multicentric, interventional pilot study. Twenty-six highly myopic eyes from 25 patients with subfoveal and juxtafoveal CNV were treated by three monthly intravitreal injections with 1.25 mg bevacizumab. Patients were evaluated for best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and optical coherence tomography at baseline and then monthly. Fluorescein angiography was performed at baseline and at month 3. Results Patients averaged 49.5 years of age (SD 16.0, range 29–82). Five patients were male and 20 were female. BCVA at baseline averaged 20/62 (range 20/200–20/32) and 20/38 (range 20/160–20/20) at month 6. Average central foveal thickness was 282.4 μm (SD 68.3, range 168–447) at baseline and 224.0 μm (SD 46, range 132–294) at month 6. Fifteen eyes were naïve for treatment and 11 eyes had been previously treated by photodynamic therapy (PDT) (average 2.5 PDT sessions). Leakage from CNV had ceased in all eyes at month 3 and CNV was still closed at month 6. Neither ocular nor systemic safety issues appeared during the follow-up. Conclusions Intravitreal bevacizumab seems to be an effective and safe therapeutic procedure to treat subfoveal and juxtafoveal CNV in highly myopic eyes. Further studies are required to verify the efficacy and usefulness of this therapy compared with established treatments for this condition.