Bevacizumab effective for chronic and recurrent central serous chorioretinopathy

Intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin, Genentech) is an effective option for the treatment of chronic or recurrent central serous chorioretinopathy, said Mitzy Torres-Soriano, MD, of the Retina Service, Asociation Para Evitar La Ceguera, Hospital "Dr. Luis Sanchez Bulnes," Mexico City, Mexico.

Dr. Torres-Soriano and colleagues conducted a prospective, noncomparative case series to test the safety and efficacy of bevacizumab for the treatment of chronic (defined as symptoms present for longer than 6 months) or recurrent (defined as more than one episode of the disease).

Six eyes of six patients were included. The patients were treated with one intravitreal injection of bevacizumab at a dose of 2.5 mg. The investigators evaluated the best-corrected visual acuity, fluorescein angiography, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) at baseline and at 1, 3, and 6 months after treatment, according to Dr. Torres-Soriano,

Dr. Torres-Soriano reported that five patients had chronic disease and one patient had recurrent disease.

"The visual acuity improved in all cases by 1 month after treatment and remained stable until the examination at the third month," she said. The median best-corrected visual acuity improved from 20/200 at baseline to 20/100 at 1 month and 20/50 at 3 months.

"We observed decreased neurosensory retinal and retinal pigment epithelial detachment on OCT. The retinal thickness decreased from 375.83 ± 92.34 µm to 252.5 ± 58.28 µm at 1 month and 223 ± 69.5 µm at 3 months posttreatment. There was a decrease in fluorescein leakage and improved choroidal hyperpermeability seen on indocyanine green angiography. Two patients required a second injection of bevacizumab," Dr. Torres-Soriano commented. No adverse events developed.

The investigators concluded that intravitreal bevacizumab was well tolerated and resulted in a significant improvement in visual acuity. Although the results are promising, further studies are needed.