Intravitreal anti-VEGF successfully treats refractory uveitic macular edema in study

Eur J Ophthalmol. 2009;19(4):622-629.

Intravitreal bevacizumab proved effective in treating refractory uveitic macular edema, according to a study.

"Uveitis is a major cause of ocular morbidity in developed countries," the study authors said. "It has been demonstrated that macular edema is a significant cause of decreased visual acuity in these patients."

The retrospective, noncomparative, interventional case series included 29 eyes of 27 patients who underwent treatment and 1-year follow-up. The group included 13 patients who received a single Avastin (bevacizumab, Genentech) injection, six patients who received a second injection and 10 patients who received combination intravitreal bevacizumab and triamcinolone acetonide.

Mean logMAR visual acuity was –0.59 at baseline and –0.42 at 1 year (P = .0045). Mean central macular thickness was 383.66 µm at baseline and 294.32 µm at 1 year (P = .0007).

"Intravitreal bevacizumab is a useful and therapeutically beneficial agent in the treatment of refractory uveitic macular edema," the authors said. "Some patients will require adjunctive intravitreal bevacizumab injections or the use of combination therapy with intravitreal triamcinolone acetonide."