Retinal and Choroidal Thickness Changes after Single Anti-VEGF Injection in Neovascular Age-related Macular Degeneration: Ranibizumab vs Bevacizumab

Abstract

To evaluate and compare the effects of single intravitreal injection of ranibizumab and bevacizumab on central retinal and choroidal thickness in patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Forty eyes of 40 patients with neovascular AMD that underwent intravitreal injection of vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors (anti-VEGFs) were included. Patients were randomized into 2 groups: 20 eyes received ranibizumab and 20 eyes received bevacizumab injection. Central retinal and choroidal thicknesses of all eyes at baseline and 1 month postinjection scans were measured with Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT). Student t test and Mann-Whitney U test were used to compare the data. The mean central retinal thickness (CRT) showed significant decrease after single injection of ranibizumab (from 345.0 µm to 253.5 µm, p<0.01) and bevacizumab (from 329.5 µm to 251.0 µm, p<0.01) at the first month, respectively. There was no significant difference regarding the CRT change between groups (p = 0.39). The mean choroidal thickness decreased from 158.6 µm (115-317) to 155.5 µm (111-322) in the ranibizumab group and from 211.5 µm (143-284) to 201.5 µm (93-338) in bevacizumab group. The decrease was not significant between groups (p = 0.35). Intravitreal injection of both ranibizumab and bevacizumab provided a significant decrease in CRT; however, the agents caused no significant change in choroidal thickness. Additionally, no difference between ranibizumab versus bevacizumab was observed related to macular edema inhibition.