Questo studio, sull’uso dell’Avastin nella trombosi della vena retinica centrale, pubblicato sulla prestigiosa rivista Ophthalmology, proviene dal prestigioso Karolinska Institutet e presenta delle caratteristiche metodologiche che lo rendono particolarmente interessante. È, infatti, uno studio prospettico, randomizzato in doppio cieco, cioè il tipo di studio ritenuto più attendibile dalla moderna medicina basata sull’evidenza.

I risultati ottenuti in 24 mesi dimostrano che l’iniezione di Avastin è efficace nel trattare le conseguenze della trombosi, sia per la sua azione sull’edema maculare, sia per il miglioramento del visus (ottenuto nel 60% dei pazienti), sia per la mancanza di eventi avversi.

Tali risultati sono stati ottenuti somministrando il farmaco ogni 6 settimane per sei mesi.



American Academy of Ophthalmology Journall - 06-2012

Bevacizumab for Macular Edema in Central Retinal Vein Occlusion: A Prospective, Randomized, Double-Masked Clinical Study

David L.J. Epstein, Peep V. Algvere, Gunvor von Wendt, Stefan Seregard, Anders Kvanta

Ophthalmology
June 2012, Volume 119, Issue 6, Pages 1184–1189



Design Prospective, randomized, sham injection-controlled, double-masked clinical trial.

Participants Sixty patients with ME secondary to CRVO.

Methods At baseline, patients were randomized 1:1 to receive intraocular injections of bevacizumab or sham injections every 6 weeks for 6 months.
Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome measure was the proportion of patients gaining at least 15 letters at 6 months. Secondary outcome measures included mean change from baseline best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), foveal thickness, and neovascular glaucoma.

Results At the end of follow-up, 18 of 30 patients (60.0%) in the study group had gained ≥15 letters compared with 6 of 30 patients (20.0%) in the control group (P=0.003). The BCVA improved by 14.1 letters at 24 weeks compared with a decrease of 2.0 letters in the control group (P < 0.003). The mean decrease in central retinal thickness (CRT) was significantly greater in the study group (426 μm) than in the control group (102 μm) at all time points up to week 24 (P < 0.001). No residual edema, defined as CRT

Conclusions Intraocular injections of bevacizumab given every 6 weeks for 6 months improve visual acuity (VA) and reduce ME significantly compared with sham.