A Randomized Controlled Trial of Intralesional Bevacizumab Injection on Primary Pterygium: Preliminary Results

Abstract

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intralesional injection of bevacizumab on primary pterygium treatment. In this randomized controlled trial, each primary pterygium patient was randomized to receive either an intralesional injection of bevacizumab 2 mg (1 mg/0.04 mL) or a combination of topical antihistamine (antazoline HCl 0.05%) and vasoconstrictor (tetrahydrozoline HCl 0.04%) as a control. The main outcome measurements were symptoms and signs (including eye irritation, epiphora, redness, amount of discharge, inflammation and elevation of pterygium, and percentage of corneal pterygium area). A total of 74 pterygium eyes in 66 patients were randomized and allocated into a treatment group (N = 34) and a control group (N = 40). In the treatment group, there was a statistically significant reduction of symptoms (including irritation, photophobia, epiphora, redness, discharge, and blurred vision) and signs (inflammation and corneal pterygium area) compared with the baseline, up to at least 6 months. Between the treatment and control groups, no significant differences were found for all visits with respect to the (1) symptoms, (2) signs, and (3) percentage of corneal pterygium. Intralesional bevacizumab may have a therapeutic effect on symptoms and signs of primary pterygium for at least 6 months (ie, the follow-up period), with no serious ocular or systemic adverse effects.