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Kim, Choi, Rhee, and Lee: Impact of Intravitreal Bevacizumab Injection on Life Quality in Patients with Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion
Original Article
Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society

Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society 2012; 53(10): 1465-1471.

Published online: 17 October 2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2012.53.10.1465

Impact of Intravitreal Bevacizumab Injection on Life Quality in Patients with Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion

Jee Wook Kim, MD1, Kyung Seek Choi, MD, PhD1, Mi Ri Rhee, MD2, Sung Jin Lee, MD, PhD1

1Department of Ophthalmology, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

2Myeong Eye Clinic, Seoul, Korea.

Address reprint requests to Sung Jin Lee, MD, PhD. Department of Ophthalmology, Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital, 59 Daesagwan-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul 140-743, Korea. Tel: 82-2-709-9354, Fax: 82-2-710-3196, wismile@schmc.ac.kr

Received 10 January 2012       Accepted 25 August 2012

Copyright © 2012 The Korean Ophthalmological Society

Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the impact of intravitreal bevacizumab injection on visual function and vision-related quality of life (VR-QOL) in patients with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) using the Korean version of the National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire 25 (K-NEI-VFQ-25).

Methods

This study included 32 normal control subjects and 32 patients with BRVO. The Korean version of NEI-VFQ-25 was answered by the patients with BRVO before and 3 months after intravitreal bevacizumab injection, as well as by normal control subjects. Clinical data were collected, including central macular thickness (CMT), total macular volume (TMV) (using time-domain optical coherence tomography [OCT]), and best corrected visual acuity (BCVA).

Results

Visual acuity, CMT, and TMV significantly improved 3 months after intravitreal bevacizumab injections. No bevacizumab-related systemic or ocular adverse effects following intravitreal drug injections were observed. Significant improvement in the VFQ-25 composite score was observed in patients with BRVO. Subscale scores, including general vision, near activities, distance activities, social functioning, mental health, role difficulties, dependency, and peripheral vision, improved after injection. However, subscale scores regarding general health, ocular pain, driving, and color vision did not improve significantly.

Conclusions

Intravitreal bevacizumab injection appears to be an effective treatment for visual function, as well as VR-QOL in macular edema secondary to BRVO. However, improvement of driving function and color vision appears to require a longer recovery time than visual function.

Keywords: Bevacizumab, BRVO, VR-QOL

Figures and Tables

Table 1
Preoperative characteristics of patients with macular edema due to branch retinal venous occlusion (BRVO) and normal controls
jkos-53-1465-i001

Values are mean ± SD or number unless otherwise indicated.

BCVA = best corrected visual acuity; CMT = central macular thickness (1 mm); log MAR = logarithm of minimum angle of resolution; TMV = total macular volume (6 mm).

*log MAR BCVA of worse-seeing eye of normal controls; †log MAR BCVA of better-seeing eye of normal controls; ‡Data missing for 5 patients and 6 controls; §Data missing for 4 patients and 5 controls.

Table 2
Changes in visual acuity and retinal thickness after intravitreal bevacizumab injection in patients with macular edema due to branch retinal venous occlusion (BRVO)
jkos-53-1465-i002

Values are mean ± SD.

BCVA = best corrected visual acuity; log MAR = logarithm of minimum angle of resolution.

Table 3
The National Eye Institute 25-item Visual Function Questionnaire (VFQ-25) Composite score and Subscales in Patients with Macular edema due to branch retinal venous occlusion (BRVO) before and after intravitreal bevacizumab injection
jkos-53-1465-i003

Values are mean ± SD.

VFQ-25 = 25-item Visual Function Questionnaire.

*Significantly different from the normal controls (Mann-Whitney test); †Significantly different from the postoperative values (Wilcoxon signed-rank test); ‡The results of 14 in normal control group and 12 in study group were compared.

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