Bevacizumab safe for use in Tx of macular degeneration
(HealthDay)—The systemic safety of bevacizumab appears to be similar to that of ranibizumab as intravitreal therapy for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to research published online Sept. 15 in The Cochrane Library.
Lorenzo Moja, M.D., of the University of Milan, and colleagues conducted a review of the systemic safety of bevacizumab versus ranibizumab for the intravitreal treatment of neovascular AMD. Data from nine randomized, controlled studies were included in the meta-analysis.
The researchers found that, at the maximum follow-up of one or two years, based on eight studies involving 3,338 participants, the estimated risk ratio (RR) of death for bevacizumab compared with ranibizumab was 1.10 (95 percent confidence interval [CI], 0.78 to 1.57; P = 0.59; moderate-quality evidence). Based on event rates in the studies, the risk of death was 3.7 percent for bevacizumab and 3.4 percent for ranibizumab. Based on nine studies involving 3,665 participants, the estimated RR for all serious systemic adverse events (SSAEs) for bevacizumab compared with ranibizumab was 1.08 (95 percent CI, 0.90 to 1.31; P = 0.41; low-quality evidence). Based on event rates in the studies, the risk of SSAEs was 24 percent for bevacizumab and 22.2 percent for ranibizumab.
"Our review found the systemic safety of bevacizumab for neovascular AMD to be similar to that of ranibizumab, except for gastrointestinal disorders, which was a part of a secondary analysis," the authors write.
Several authors were investigators in the trials included in this review.
More information:
Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Copyright © 2014 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
