INTRAVITREAL BEVACIZUMAB FOR PROLIFERATIVE DIABETIC RETINOPATHY: Results From the Pan-American Collaborative Retina Study Group (PACORES) at 24 Months of Follow-up.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects of intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) on retinal neovascularization in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).

METHODS

Retrospective multicenter interventional case series. A chart review was performed of 81 consecutive patients (97 eyes) with retinal neovascularization due to PDR, who received at least 1 IVB injection.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 55.6 ± 11.6 years. The mean number of IVB injections was 4 ± 2.5 injections (range, 1-8 injections) per eye. The mean interval between IVB applications was 3 ± 7 months. The mean duration of follow-up was 29.6 ± 2 months (range, 24-30 months). Best-corrected visual acuity and optical coherence tomography improved statistically significantly (P < 0.0001, both comparisons). Three eyes without previous panretinal photocoagulation ("naive" eyes) and with vitreous hemorrhage did not require vitreoretinal surgery. Five (5.2%) eyes with PDR progressed to tractional retinal detachment requiring vitrectomy. No systemic adverse events were noted.

CONCLUSION

Intravitreal bevacizumab resulted in marked regression of retinal neovascularization in patients with PDR and previous panretinal photocoagulation. Intravitreal bevacizumab in naive eyes resulted in control or regression of 42.1% of eyes without adjunctive laser or vitrectomy during 24 months of follow-up. There were no safety concerns during the 2 years of follow-up of IVB for PDR.