Intravitreal bevacizumab for retinal vein occlusion and early growth of epiretinal membrane: a possible secondary effect?

Joaquin Marticorena (1) , Mario R Romano (2) , Heinrich Heimann (3) , Theodore Stappler (3) , Kurshid S Gibran (4) , Carl Groenewald (3) , Ian Pearce (3) , David Wong (5)

1 Instituto Tecnológico de Oftalmología, I.T.O.
2 Saint Paul's Eye Unit
3 Saint Paul's Eye Unit
4 Department of Ophthalmology, UTMB, Galveston, Texas.
5 Faculty of Medicine Li Ka Shing

Aims: To report the early development of epiretinal membranes (ERM) in eyes with retinal vein occlusions (RVO) treated with intravitreal bevacizumab and to describe possible mechanisms that may be involved in the growth and contraction of these lesions. Methods: Retrospective and interventional study that included 25 eyes of 25 patients with RVO (16 eyes with central retinal vein occlusion and 9 eyes with branch retinal vein occlusion). After an initial 2.5mg/0.1ml intravitreal bevacizumab injection all patients were followed every 6 weeks. Retreatments were based in visual acuity and optical coherence tomography findings. Results: Twenty-five eyes were treated with bevacizumab and followed for 8.3 months (range, 4.5 – 13.5). Four eyes developed an ERM within 6 -7 weeks after the administration of bevacizumab. ERM was not associated with further deterioration of visual acuity or metamorphopsia in these patients. A rebound of macular oedema was observed in 1 patient with ERM and in 2 other patients. No other side effects were observed. Conclusions: Intravitreal bevacizumab may be associated with an early growth of ERM in eyes with RVO, although a causative relationship cannot be established, future randomized clinical trials are necessary to determine the efficacy and safety profile of this novel therapy.

Mots clés: Retina; Macula; Drugs

Joaquin Marticorena, Mario R Romano, Heinrich Heimann, Theodore Stappler, Kurshid S Gibran, et al.. Intravitreal bevacizumab for retinal vein occlusion and early growth of epiretinal membrane: a possible secondary effect?. British Journal of Ophthalmology, 2010, 95 (3), pp.391. ⟨10.1136/bjo.2009.177287⟩. ⟨hal-00567049⟩