Intravitreal bevacizumab for treatment-naive patients with subfoveal occult choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration: a 12-month follow-up study

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the 12-month efficacy of intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) injection for occult choroidal neovascularization secondary to age-related macular degeneration. METHODS: In this retrospective, interventional case series, 68 treatment-naïve patients with age-related macular degeneration, affected by subfoveal occult choroidal neovascularization showing recent disease progression, were monitored during the IVB protocol. The patients received 1 initial IVB injection (1.25 mg/0.05 mL), and they underwent further retreatment on a monthly basis only when necessary, according to a standardized as-required regimen, until no significant signs of choroidal neovascularization activity were present. Main outcome measures were the modifications in best-corrected visual acuity and in central retinal thickness measured by optical coherence tomography. RESULTS: With respect to baseline, at the 12-month check, mean best-corrected visual acuity increased from 0.82 to 0.45 logMAR (P < 0.01) and mean central retinal thickness decreased from 517.0 microm to 306.5 microm (P < 0.01). To achieve these benefits, the required mean IVB number was lowered from 3.87 in the first 6 months to 1.085 in the second 6 months. A better final best-corrected visual acuity was correlated with greater best-corrected visual acuity (P < 0.005) and lesser central retinal thickness (P < 0.05) at baseline. CONCLUSION: In patients with age-related macular degeneration complicated by progressive occult choroidal neovascularization, first-line IVB administration represents a useful therapeutic option, especially considering its lower cost in comparison with other antiangiogenic drugs.