Original Paper

Comparative Study of Intravitreal Bevacizumab (Avastin) versus Ranibizumab (Lucentis) in the Treatment of Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Gennady Landa^{a, b}, Wendewessen Amde^a, Vatsal Doshi^{a, b}, Amro Ali^a, Laura McGevna^c, Ronald C. Gentile^{a, b}, Thomas O. Muldoon^{a, b}, Joseph B. Walsh^{a, b}, Richard B. Rosen<sup>a, b

a</sup>Retina Center, Department of Ophthalmology, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, New York, N.Y.,
^bDepartment of Ophthalmology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, N.Y., and
^cUniversity of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, Vt., USA

Address of Corresponding Author

Ophthalmologica 2009;223:370-375 (DOI: 10.1159/000227783)

  Key Words

• Bevacizumab (Avastin)
• Ranibizumab (Lucentis)
• Neovascular age-related macular degeneration
• Choroidal neovascularization

  Abstract

Aims: To compare the safety and efficacy of 2 anti-vascular-endothelial-growth-factor agents - bevacizumab (Avastin) versus ranibizumab (Lucentis) - in the treatment of patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods: Retrospective analysis of patients who received intravitreal injections of bevacizumab or ranibizumab for neovascular AMD. Primary outcome measures were best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central foveal thickness (CFT) assessed by Spectral Domain scanning laser ophthalmoscope-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). A secondary outcome measure was the report of any adverse events in the 2 groups. Results: The number of injections in the bevacizumab group was 184 (average of 4.7 per eye) compared to 187 in the ranibizumab group (average of 5.5 per eye). The mean logMAR equivalent of BCVA at 1 month after the injection improved by 0.18 in the bevacizumab group (p = 0.009) and by 0.13 in the ranibizumab group (p = 0.004). The average SD-OCT CFT decreased from 325 ± 72 to 300 ± 69 µm in the bevacizumab group (p = 0.016) and from 307 ± 57 to 289 ± 56 µm in the ranibizumab group (p = 0.017). In the bevacizumab group, there was 1 event of lower extremity pain (0.54%) and 1 event of increased arterial blood pressure (0.54%). In the ranibizumab group, there were 2 events of transiently increased intraocular pressure (1.1%) and 1 event (0.53%) of intraocular inflammation following injection. Conclusions: Bevacizumab and ranibizumab treatments resulted in similar gains in visual acuity and reduction in macular thickness, documented each month following injection. Intravitreal bevacizumab appears to be as safe and effective as intravitreal ranibizumab in the treatment of exudative AMD.

Copyright © 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Richard B. Rosen, MD
Department of Ophthalmology, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary
310 East 14th Street
New York City, NY 10003 (USA)
Tel. +1 212 979 4288, Fax +1 212 979 4268, E-Mail rrosen@nyee.edu

  Article Information

Received: September 8, 2008
Accepted after revision: November 7, 2008
Published online: July 8, 2009
Number of Print Pages : 6
Number of Figures : 0, Number of Tables : 1, Number of References : 19