This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Stroke type unrelated to anti-VEGF treatment
Type of stroke suffered, whether ischemic or hemorrhagic, in patients with retinal disease was not influenced by anti-VEGF treatment, according to a study.
A retrospective consecutive review of patient records in the Rochester Epidemiology Project from Jan. 1, 2004, through Dec. 31, 2013, identified 690 patients (case cohort) as receiving an intravitreal injection for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), diabetic macular edema (DME), proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) or retinal vein occlusion (RVO).
The researchers compared the case cohort to two age-and sex-matched cohorts: a prior time cohort of 659 patients from 1990 through 2003 in the pre-anti-VEGF injection era and 688 patients in a concurrent time period who also did not receive anti-VEGF injections to manage disease.
In the case cohort, 504 patients had wet AMD, 86 had DME or PDR, and 100 had RVO. The most common anti-VEGF agent used was bevacizumab, and more than half received more than one type of anti-VEGF injection.
Thirty-eight patients suffered a stroke after beginning treatment with anti-VEGF, of which 27 were ischemic strokes, five were hemorrhagic and six were cardioembolic. The researchers found 78 patients in the prior time cohort suffered a stroke after a diagnosis of AMD, DME, PDR or RVO. Twenty-six patients in the concurrent time cohort suffered a stroke.
No statistically significant difference was seen between type of stroke suffered when the case cohort was compared with either of the non-anti-VEGF treatment groups. – by Robert Linnehan
Disclosures: Starr reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the full study for a list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.