INTRAVITREAL BEVACIZUMAB IN THE TREATMENT OF CHOROIDAL NEOVASCULAR MEMBRANE DUE TO ANGIOID STREAKS.

Purpose: To investigate the results of intravitreal bevacizumab for choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to angioid streaks and to assess the factors influencing disease progression.

Methods: Patients treated with intravitreal bevacizumab (1.25 mg/0.05 mL) for CNV secondary to angioid streaks were reviewed retrospectively. In addition to demographic findings, ophthalmologic findings at baseline and during follow-ups were recorded.

Results: Twenty-three eyes of 20 patients (mean age, 45.7 years; 7 women) were included in the study. Mean follow-up was 23 months. Mean number of injections was 5.1. Initial and final logMAR visual acuity was not different (0.53 ± 0.33 and 0.60 ± 0.40 logMAR, P = 0.79). At the last examination, patients with final active CNV (N = 14) were younger (mean age, 42 years) than patients with final inactive CNV (N = 9) (mean age, 52 years). The former group required higher number of injections (6.6 vs. 2.8, P = 0.013). Eyes with pseudoxanthoma elasticum (N = 10) needed injections every 4.4 months while the others (N = 13) every 7.2 months (P = 0.072). Pseudoxanthoma elasticum positivity ended up with active membranes in 70% of the cases, composing half of the overall final active CNVs in this study.

Conclusion: Intravitreal bevacizumab stabilized vision in eyes with CNV and angioid streaks. At younger ages, CNV behaved more aggressively and seemed to be more resistant to treatment.