Does intravitreal injection of bevacizumab have an effect on the blood-aqueus barrier function?
- F Ziemssen,
- M Warga,
- I M Neuhann,
- M Leitritz,
- S Biester,
- S Grisanti,
- K U Bartz-Schmidt,
- Tuebingen Bevacizumab Study Group
- University Eye Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany
- Correspondence to: Dr Focke Ziemssen University Eye Hospital, Schleichstrasse 12, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany; focke.ziemssen{at}med.uni-tuebingen.de
- Accepted 7 March 2006
Bevacizumab (Avastin), a humanised monoclonal anti-VEGF antibody originally developed for intravenous therapy of metastatic cancer, is now being used as off-label therapy in age related macular degeneration.1 The cost effective drug promises not only anti-angiogenic capabilities in neovascular eye disease, but has also anti-exudative effects by lowering transendothelial permeability of blood vessels.2
Blood-aqueous barrier (BAB) breakdown has been reported after intraocular application of lyophilised rhuFab formulations.3 Anterior chamber inflammation is one of the most frequently reported adverse events (19%) after pegaptanib injections.4 We wanted to post these safety issues for bevacizumab by objective detection of aqueous protein concentration.
Methods
The anterior chamber reaction was analysed in 60 patients receiving 1.25 mg of bevacizumab for age …
