Bilateral intravitreal injection of antivascular endothelial growth factor therapy.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to review adverse events and patient preference after bilateral intravitreal injection of antibodies to vascular endothelial growth factor.

METHODS

A retrospective case-control study. Patients with exudative age-related macular degeneration who received intravitreal antivascular endothelial growth factor agent injections in both eyes (bilateral group) on the same day over a 23-month period were compared with patients who received injections in only 1 eye. The occurrence of endophthalmitis, cerebrovascular accident, myocardial infarction, death, patient discomfort, and patient preference was compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

One hundred and two patients received an average of 4.43 bilateral injections (range 1-13). A case-control group of 102 patients received an average of 10.2 unilateral injections, (range 2-28). Bevacizumab was injected 45.5%, ranibizumab 45.5%, and a combination of bevacizumab and ranibizumab 9% of the time for bilateral injections. Bevacizumab was used 50.3% and ranubizumab 49.7% of the time in unilateral injections. The follow-up of both groups averaged 18.4 months (range 4.7-36.5 months). There were no cases of endophthalmitis or cerebrovascular accident in either group. There was a single case of myocardial infarction in each group. There were two deaths in the bilateral group and three deaths in the unilateral group. More than 90% strongly preferred bilateral injections to unilateral injections.

CONCLUSION

Bilateral injections of antivascular endothelial growth factor agents on the same day did not increase the rate of adverse events and was preferred by the majority of patients.