Bevacizumab regresses abnormal diabetic neovascularization

Intravitreal bevacizumab is well tolerated and causes the regression of abnormal diabetic neovascularization, according to recently published data.

A team headed by Dr Osama Ababneh, Ophthalmology Department, Jordan University Hospital, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan, conducted a consecutive, prospective, interventional case series on 60 eyes with diabetic retinal and/or iris neovascularization.

All patients underwent full ocular examinations and received 1.25 mg of intravitreal bevacizumab. Main outcome measures included clinical partial or total regression of abnormal new vessels, changes in visual acuity and complications linked to the intravitreal injections.

Size and associated haemorrhage or glaucoma were used to grade abnormal new vessels elsewhere in the retina, optic disc or iris. Patients received complete post-injection ophthalmic evaluations at three and six months.

Visual acuity improved in 20% of eyes but in 23% of eyes the visual acuity deteriorated. There were no systemic or ocular side effects apart from post-injection hypotony in one eye.

At six months post-injection abnormal new vessel regression was seen in 65% of new vessels in the iris, 45% of new vessels of the optic disc and 43% of new vessels elsewhere. New vessels of the iris responded more than the new vessels in the optic disc and new vessels elsewhere.

The abstract can be found in the journal Retina.