J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2021 Aug;62(8):1076-1083. 10.3341/jkos.2021.62.8.1076.

Proportion of and Reason for Bevacizumab Usage in the Treatment of Wet Age-related Macular Degeneration

• Yoon YS
• Yoon WT
• Kim JW
• Kim CG
• Kim JH

• KMID: 2519328
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2021.62.8.1076

Abstract

Purpose
To evaluate the proportion of bevacizumab and the reason for its usage in wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
Methods
Retrospective analysis of medical records was performed for 1,541 patients who received ranibizumab, aflibercept, or bevacizumab injection to treat wet AMD. The proportion of bevacizumab among the entire set of injections was identified. The reason for selecting bevacizumab was additionally identified.
Results
During the study period, a total of 2,929 anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injections were performed; 2,236 (76.3%) were ranibizumab or aflibercept injections and 693 (23.7%) were bevacizumab injections. The most common reason for bevacizumab usage was ‘having a 0.1 or worse best-corrected visual acuity or being unable to assure reimbursement due to the development of extensive scarring or geographic atrophy’ (297 bevacizumab injections, 42.9%). The second most common reason was ‘the inability to assure reimbursement such as extrafoveal choroidal neovascularization (CNV) or early CNV without definite fluid in the foveal region’ (201 bevacizumab injections, 29.0%).
Conclusions
Bevacizumab was used in 23.7% of the anti-VEGF injections to treat wet AMD. When analyzing patients’ treatment burden and financial impact, the results of the present study may provide useful information. Further multi-center studies are required to evaluate more precisely the usage of anti-VEGF drugs.

Keyword

Aflibercept; Age-related macular degeneration; Bevacizumab; Choroidal neovascularization; Ranibizumab