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One-year results after intravitreal bevacizumab therapy for macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion

  • Retinal Disorders
  • Published:
Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

To investigate the long-term effectiveness of intravitreal bevacizumab treatment in eyes with perfused macular edema due to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).

Methods

In this prospective interventional case series, 23 consecutive, previously untreated eyes with perfused macular edema were treated with intravitreal bevacizumab (1.25 mg) injections and followed for 1 year. The main outcome measures were visual acuity (VA) and central retinal thickness (CRT). In addition, VA data were adapted to the non-logarithmic VA charts used in the previously published grid laser photocoagulation BRVO Study.

Results

The median VA gained 3.0 lines from baseline at 48 weeks. This was accompanied by a significant decrease of 39% of the median CRT. The mean number of re-injections was 1.6 during the first 6 months of follow-up and only 0.8 during the subsequent 6 months. In 65% of the cases, adapted VA data showed a gain of 1 or more lines and no eye lost more than 1 line.

Conclusions

Repetitive intravitreal bevacizumab injections result in a significant long-term improvement of VA and CRT. The number of re-injections necessary to maintain this effect declined over time. However, the treatment seems to be only slightly better than grid laser photocoagulation.

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Acknowledgement

The authors thank Dr. Barbara Wallenfels-Thilo for excellent editorial assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University Eye Clinic, Centre for Ophthalmology, Eberhard-Karls University of Tuebingen, Schleichstr. 12, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany

    Gesine B. Jaissle, Martin Leitritz, Faik Gelisken, Focke Ziemssen, Karl Ulrich Bartz-Schmidt & Peter Szurman

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  1. Gesine B. Jaissle
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  2. Martin Leitritz
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  3. Faik Gelisken
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  4. Focke Ziemssen
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  5. Karl Ulrich Bartz-Schmidt
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  6. Peter Szurman
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gesine B. Jaissle.

Additional information

Gesine B Jaissle, Martin Leitritz: These authors contributed equally to the work.

The study has been supported by the German Ophthalmological Society (DOG).

The authors have no financial disclosures. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

The authors have full control of all primary data, and they agree to allow Graefe’s Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology to review their data if requested.

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Jaissle, G.B., Leitritz, M., Gelisken, F. et al. One-year results after intravitreal bevacizumab therapy for macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 247, 27–33 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-008-0916-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-008-0916-2

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