Effect of subconjunctival Bevacizumab injection on the outcome of Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation: a randomized control trial

Abstract

Importance: The effect of subconjunctival Bevacizumab injection on the outcome of Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) implantation. Background: Evaluation of efficacy and safety of subconjunctival Bevacizumab injection adjunctive to AGV implantation. Design: Prospective and randomized clinical trial. Participants: Fifty eyes of 50 patients with diagnosis of glaucoma that were candidate for AGV surgery were included. Methods: In 25 eyes, conventional AGV surgery (group 1) and in 25 eyes AGV surgery with subconjunctival Bevacizumab (group 2) was performed by block randomization. Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome measure was surgical success. Outcome measures were compared at postoperative month 3, 6 and 12. Results: Mean age of patients was 58.76 ± 12.11 and 51.36 ± 15.44 years in group 1 and 2 respectively (P = 0.06). Mean intraocular pressure (IOP) at baseline was 24.88 ± 7.62 mmHg in group 1 and 27.52 ± 8.57 mmHg in group 2 which decreased to15.4 ± 4.4 mmHg in group 1 and 13.42 ± 2.9 mmHg in group 2 (P < 0.00) at last follow up. Surgical success was defined in two level: postoperative IOP ≤ 21 mmHg with at least 20% reduction in IOP (Criterion A), either with no medication (complete success) or with no more than two medications (qualified success) and criterion B with the same definition but the IOP ≤ 18 mmHg The cumulative success according to criterion A and B was 77.8%, 72.2% in group 1 and 89.5% in group 2, respectively, at the end of follow-up. Conclusions and Relevance: Subconjunctival injection of Bevacizumab adjunctive to AGV implantation leads to higher success rate compared with AGV alone in one year follow-up.