IVB injections successful for mCNV

Intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) provide sustained and effective treatment for myopic choroidal neovascularization (mCNV).

The prospective case series, led by Dr Magda Gharbiya, Department of Ophthalmology, Sapienza University – Umberto I Hospital, Rome, Italy, consisted of 32 eyes of 30 mCNV patients.

Each participant was administered three monthly 1.25 mg IVB injections. Regression analysis was used to measure the prognostic factors of age, axial length, baseline BCVA, pre-treatment CNV area, CNV location and peripapillary atrophy area. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and CNV area were compared pre-treatment and post-treatment.

In 32 eyes the results were evaluated at two years and in 27 eyes they were evaluated at three years. Mean baseline BCVA significantly improved from 30.1 letters to 45.4 letters at three years. The outcome was better in eyes with juxtafoveal CNV.

A positive correlation was found between baseline BCVA and final BCVA, but there was a negative correlation for age. CNV area was reduced from 0.63 mm2 at baseline to 0.40 mm2 at the three-year follow-up. Peripapillary atrophy area was the sole contributing factor affecting the need for re-treatment.

The factors that independently correlated with the BCVA outcome were initial BCVA and age. Three monthly injections of IVB provide effective and sustained results for mCNV treatment.

The abstract can be found in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.