rss
Br J Ophthalmol 2008;92:518-522 doi:10.1136/bjo.2007.127282
  • Original Article
    • Clinical science

Intravitreal Avastin for macular oedema secondary to retinal vein occlusion: a prospective study

  1. K Kriechbaum1,
  2. S Michels2,
  3. F Prager1,
  4. M Georgopoulos1,
  5. M Funk1,
  6. W Geitzenauer1,
  7. U Schmidt-Erfurth1
  1. 1
    Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
  2. 2
    Department of Ophthalmology, Medical University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
  1. S Michels, University Eye Hospital Zürich, Frauenklinikstrasse 24, CH-8091 Zurich, Switzerland; stephan.michels{at}usz.ch
  • Accepted 26 December 2007
  • Published Online First 22 January 2008

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate efficacy and safety of intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin) in eyes with macular oedema secondary to central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) or branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).

Methods: Twenty-eight consecutive patients (28 patients, 29 eyes, 8 CRVO, 21 BRVO) were enrolled in the study. Three intravitreal injections of 1 mg bevacizumab (0.04 ml) were administered at 4-week intervals; further retreatment was based on optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings. Follow-up examinations were done at days 1, 7 and 28 and at monthly intervals thereafter.

Results: Mean baseline central retinal thickness (CRT) in OCT was 558 µm (range 353–928 µm) and mean BCVA was 20/100. One day after the first injection, CRT significantly decreased to 401 μm (p<0.01). Three injections reduced macular oedema to 328 μm CRT (p<0.01) and improved BCVA to 20/50 (p<0.01). At 6 months, CRT was 382 μm (p<0.01), and BCVA was stable at 20/50−2 (p<0.01), FA showed no evidence of increased avascular zones.

Conclusion: Intravitreal injections of bevacizumab appear to be a safe and effective therapy in the treatment of macular oedema secondary to retinal vein occlusion.

Footnotes

  • Competing interests: None.

  • Ethics approval: The study was approved by the ethics committee at the Medical University of Vienna, was registered at the European clinical database (EUDRACT-2005-003288-21) and followed the tenets of the Helsinki protocol.

  • Patient consent: Informed consent was obtained from all patients.

This Article

  1. Abstract
  2. Full text
  3. PDF
  4. All versions of this article:
    1. bjo.2007.127282v1
    2. 92/4/518 most recent

Responses

  1. Submit a response
  2. No responses published

Register for free content

The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.

Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.