BACKGROUND: To compare safety, visual acuity (VA), and anatomic outcomes of 2.5 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg intravenous bevacizumab in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration. METHODS: In an institutional cohort study, 16 patients (2 cohorts, 27 eyes) with neovascular age-related macular degeneration were treated with 5 mg/kg intravenous bevacizumab and 2.5 mg/kg, respectively. All patients received 3 initial intravenous infusions at 2-week intervals. The main outcome measures were VA, optical coherence tomography, and fluorescein angiography. RESULTS: No serious systemic or ocular adverse events were identified. By Day 7, mean VA increased from 56 letters (20/80(+1)) at baseline to 60 letters (20/63) in the 5 mg/kg group and mean central retinal thickness decreased by 83 microm. In the 2.5 mg/kg group, mean VA increased from 55 letters (20/80) to 66 letters (20/50(+1)) and mean central retinal thickness decreased by 93 microm. By Month 3, VA improved by 10 letters compared to baseline in the 5 mg/kg group and by 9 letters in the 2.5 mg/kg group. Central retinal thickness was reduced by 128 microm in the 5 mg/kg group and by 127 microm in the 2.5 mg/kg group. These benefits were sustained through 6 months. No statistically significant difference was found between both treatment groups regarding safety, VA, and anatomic outcomes. CONCLUSION: Similar VA, optical coherence tomography, and angiographic improvements were observed in both treatment groups up to 6 months. Further follow-up is required to evaluate the long-term durability and safety of both treatment regimens.
BACKGROUND: To compare safety, visual acuity (VA), and anatomic outcomes of 2.5 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg intravenous bevacizumab in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration. METHODS: In an institutional cohort study, 16 patients (2 cohorts, 27 eyes) with neovascular age-related macular degeneration were treated with 5 mg/kg intravenous bevacizumab and 2.5 mg/kg, respectively. All patients received 3 initial intravenous infusions at 2-week intervals. The main outcome measures were VA, optical coherence tomography, and fluorescein angiography. RESULTS: No serious systemic or ocular adverse events were identified. By Day 7, mean VA increased from 56 letters (20/80(+1)) at baseline to 60 letters (20/63) in the 5 mg/kg group and mean central retinal thickness decreased by 83 microm. In the 2.5 mg/kg group, mean VA increased from 55 letters (20/80) to 66 letters (20/50(+1)) and mean central retinal thickness decreased by 93 microm. By Month 3, VA improved by 10 letters compared to baseline in the 5 mg/kg group and by 9 letters in the 2.5 mg/kg group. Central retinal thickness was reduced by 128 microm in the 5 mg/kg group and by 127 microm in the 2.5 mg/kg group. These benefits were sustained through 6 months. No statistically significant difference was found between both treatment groups regarding safety, VA, and anatomic outcomes. CONCLUSION: Similar VA, optical coherence tomography, and angiographic improvements were observed in both treatment groups up to 6 months. Further follow-up is required to evaluate the long-term durability and safety of both treatment regimens.
Authors: Mohamed A Ibrahim; Diana V Do; Yasir J Sepah; Syed M Shah; Elizabeth Van Anden; Gulnar Hafiz; J Kevin Donahue; Richard Rivers; Jai Balkissoon; James T Handa; Peter A Campochiaro; Quan Dong Nguyen Journal: BMC Pharmacol Toxicol Date: 2013-01-14 Impact factor: 2.483