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Changes in neovascular choroidal morphology after intravitreal bevacizumab injection: prospective trial on 156 eyes throughout 12-month follow-up

  • Retinal Disorders
  • Published:
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Abstract

Background

To report 12-month follow-up results of 156 eyes treated with anti-VEGF for subfoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration, and to verify the efficacy of this treatment in terms of functional results and changes of morphology of choroidal membrane for the different types of choroidal neovascularization analyzed.

Methods

This prospective case series study included subjects with different forms of subfoveal CNV. After the first intravitreal injection of 1.25 mg bevacizumab at baseline, re-injections of bevacizumab were scheduled at least 4 weeks after initial treatment following standardized criteria.

Results

One hundred and fifty six patients were divided into two study groups: 60 eyes with classic CNV (group C) and 96 eyes with occult CNV (group O). The improvement in BCVA was greater in group C than group O, although the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.26). The area of CNV and subretinal fibrous tissue/disciform scar remained stable over time in both groups. The macular thickness significantly decreased through the follow-up period in both groups. The hyper-reflective area of the neovascular complex remained stable in both groups during the first 6 months of follow-up, whereas a slight increase of hyper-reflective lesion size occurred throughout the second 6 months of follow-up.

Conclusion

The CNV lesion treated with IVB didn’t disappear in neither group, but showed less exudation, demonstrated by a decrease in the area of leakage from CNV, subretinal fluid area, and centre point retinal thickness on OCT.

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Acknowledgement

Involved in conception, design of the study and data analysis (CC, MRR); involved in collection and management of the data (FS, MR, UC, MdC); involved in the provision of patients (CC, MRR); involved in the preparation of the manuscript (CC, MRR); involved in the review and approval of the manuscript (CC, MRR, FS, MR, UC, MdC). The Authors wish to thank Mr. Giuseppe Gilli (Health Physics Department, Arcispedale S. Anna, Ferrara, Italy) for assistance with statistical analyses.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Scienze per la Salute, Università degli Studi del Molise, Campobasso, Italy

    Ciro Costagliola & Mario R. Romano

  2. Clinica Oculistica, Università degli Studi di Brescia, Brescia, Italy

    Francesco Semeraro

  3. Dipartimento di Oftalmologia, Ospedale G. Vietri, Larino, Campobasso, Italy

    Ugo Cipollone

  4. Dipartimento di Oftalmologia, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, Napoli, Italy

    Michele Rinaldi & Michele della Corte

  5. Dipartimento di Scienze per la Salute, Via F. De Sanctis, 86100, Campobasso, Italy

    Mario R. Romano

Authors
  1. Ciro Costagliola
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  2. Francesco Semeraro
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  3. Ugo Cipollone
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  4. Michele Rinaldi
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  5. Michele della Corte
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  6. Mario R. Romano
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Correspondence to Mario R. Romano.

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The authors indicate no financial support or financial conflict of interest.

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Costagliola, C., Semeraro, F., Cipollone, U. et al. Changes in neovascular choroidal morphology after intravitreal bevacizumab injection: prospective trial on 156 eyes throughout 12-month follow-up. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 247, 1031–1037 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-009-1081-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-009-1081-y

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