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Medicare study: Bevacizumab, ranibizumab no riskier than other AMD therapies
Arch Ophthalmol. 2010;128(10):1273-1279.
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Bevacizumab and ranibizumab did not increase risk of mortality, myocardial infarction, bleeding or stroke among patients with age-related macular degeneration when compared with photodynamic therapy or pegaptanib use, a study found.
The retrospective cohort study included 146,942 Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or older who submitted a claim for age-related macular degeneration between Jan. 1, 2005, and Dec. 31, 2006.
After adjusting for baseline characteristics and comorbid conditions, researchers found the risk of mortality and myocardial infarction to be significantly lower with intravitreous Lucentis (ranibizumab, Genentech) therapy than with PDT, which was considered the active control group.
The risk of mortality was also found to be significantly lower with ranibizumab use than with intravitreous pegaptanib octasodium use.
However, no significant differences were found in mortality or myocardial infarction between intravitreous Avastin (bevacizumab, Genentech) use and the other therapies, according to the study.
In addition, no significant relationships were observed between treatments and bleeding events or stroke.