The effect on wound healing of pazopanib and bevacizumab compared with corticosteroid in experimental glaucoma filtration surgery.

AIM

To compare the effects of bevacizumab and pazopanib with corticosteroids on wound healing after trabeculectomy.

METHODS

In the study, 35 New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into five groups. Apart from the first group, limbus-based trabeculectomy was performed for the eyes of rabbits. No postoperative treatment was administered for group I. Topically administered saline, prednisolone acetate (1%), bevacizumab 5 mg/mL, pazopanib 5 mg/mL for group II, III, IV and V respectively were applied for groups 6h daily for 28d. On day 28 of the experiment, eyes were enucleated and histologically and immunohistochemically analyzed.

RESULTS

The fibroblast counts of groups IV and V were determined to be lower than those of groups II and III (<0.05). In the mononuclear cell (MNC) count evaluation, no statistically significant difference was determined between the treatment groups (>0.05). The immunohistochemical staining intensity of fibroblast growth factor β (FGF-β) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was determined to be lower in groups IV and V than in groups II and III (<0.05). No statistically significant difference was determined between groups IV and V in respect of fibroblast count, MNC count, FGF-β and VEGF staining intensity (>0.05). The platelet derived growth factor β (PDGF-β) intensity was lower in group V than in groups II, III and IV (<0.05). While the PDGF-β staining intensity was significantly lower in group IV than in group II, the difference compared with group III was not statistically significant (>0.05).

CONCLUSION

Bevacizumab and pazopanib might be good alternatives of corticosteroid treatment on delaying wound healing in glaucoma surgery.