Bevacizumab in diabetic macular edema. A retrospective analysis of the efficacy of treatment in a group of 100 patients
Abstract
INTRODUCTION. The aim of the study was to retrospectively evaluate the efficacy of intravitreal injections of bevacizumab in a large group of diabetic macular edema (DME) patients.
MATERIA LS AND METHODS. One hundred patients (125 eyes) suffering from diabetes type 1 or 2 and DME were treated with two or three monthly 1.25-mg intravitreal injections of bevacizumab.
RESULTS . The mean (SD) best correct visual acuity (BCVA) before treatment was 63.8 (± 26.2) letters. At months 1, 2, and 3 the mean change (SE) in BCVA from baseline was +4.4 (± 0.49), +4.9 (0.38), and +3.1 (± 0.39) letters, respectively. The mean macular retinal thickness dropped from 457 (± 183) microns to 308 (± 122) microns after three months. The improvement of retinal morphology in optical coherence tomography was evident: a decrease in the number of intraretinal cysts and a generalised shrinkage of retinal macular edema. There were no serious adverse effects of the treatment.
CONCLUSION. The majority of patients with DME showed an improvement in visual acuity, particularly after the first injection of bevacizumab. Bevacizumab therapy is an interesting alternative to DME treatment.
Keywords: bevacizumabdiabetic retinopathyintravitreal injectionsmacular edemaoptical coherence tomographyvascular endothelial growth factor A
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