Mortality in patients treated with intravitreal bevacizumab for age-related macular degeneration

• Main Authors: Joel Hanhart, Doron S. Comaneshter, Yossi Freier Dror, Shlomo Vinker
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2017-10-01
• Series: BMC Ophthalmology
• Subjects: Neovascular AMD; Anti-VEGF; Bevacizumab; Safety; Mortality
• Online Access: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12886-017-0586-0

Abstract Background The aim of this study is to analyze mortality in patients treated with bevacizumab for wet AMD. Methods We conducted a retrospective case-control study between patients who received intravitreal injections of bevacizumab as the sole treatment for exudative AMD between September 2008 and October 2014 (n = 5385) and age and gender matched controls (n = 10,756). All individuals included in the study were reviewed for sociodemographic data and comorbidities. Survival analysis was performed using adjusted Cox regression, using relevant adjusted variables. Results During follow-up (maximum: 73 months), 1063 (19.7%) individuals after bevacizumab died compared with 1298 (12.1%) in the control group (P < .001). After adjusted Cox survival regression, mortality differed significantly between the groups, Odds ratio = 1.69, (95% C.I. 1.54–1.84), P < .001. Conclusions We found an increased long-term mortality in individuals with wet AMD treated with bevacizumab compared to a same age and gender group without wet AMD.