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Therapeutic effect of topical bevacizumab on corneal neovascularization following keratitis
Author(s) -
DAMIJONAITYTE A,
PAJAUJIS M,
CIMBALAS A,
BALTRUNIENE I,
ASOKLIS R
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
acta ophthalmologica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.534
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1755-3768
pISSN - 1755-375X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2010.322.x
Subject(s) - corneal neovascularization , bevacizumab , medicine , keratitis , ophthalmology , neovascularization , cornea , surgery , angiogenesis , chemotherapy
Purpose To evaluate clinical results of the treatment with topically applied bevacizumab in patients with corneal neovascularization secondary to keratitis. Methods A retrospective noncomparative case series report. 7 eyes of 7 patients with corneal neovascularization following ulcerative keratitis were treated with topical bevacizumab eye drops (5mg/ml) for 4 to 22 weeks. Underlying etiology of keratitis included 4 cases of herpetic infection, 2 cases of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection and 1 case of keratitis e lagophthalmo. The follow‐up time was 4 to 25 weeks. Results After the course of topical bevacizumab the decrease of corneal neovascularization was observed in all of the cases due to reduction of the diameter of the blood vessels and an involution of the small vessels’ network. At the baseline examination the mean extent of the neovascularized area of the cornea was 4.43 (SD 2.82, range 1‐9) clock hours in comparison with 2,57 (SD 2.15, range 1‐6) clock hours after the treatment, however, this difference was not statistically significant. The neovascularized area diminished in 5 eyes, the mean reduction being 1.86 (SD 1.57, range 1‐4) clock hours. In 2 eyes former epithelial defects of the cornea persisted without significant changes in the size or depth during the treatment. The rest of the eyes showed an epitheliazed, stable and noninflamed ocular surface. No local or systemic adverse effects of topical bevacizumab were noticed during the follow‐up time. Conclusion Topical bevacizumab is an effective and well tolerated treatment for inhibiting corneal neovascularization secondary to keratitis of different etiologies.