Factors Related to Repeatability of Intravitreal Bevacizumab Injections in Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion Macular Edema

Purpose: To identify the factors related to repeatability of intravitreal bevacizumab injections in patients with macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). Methods: The present study included 26 patients with macular edema secondary to BRVO occurring within 1 month of diagnosis. Initial best corrected visual acuity, type of BRVO according to the involved vein branch, distance between fovea and occlusion vein, central macular thickness, type of macular edema, presence of macula hemorrhage, and presence of capillary nonperfusion were evaluated at the time of diagnosis. The patients received an intravitreal bevacizumab injection at the time of diagnosis and reinjections when macular edema and visual acuity were aggravated. According to the factors considered, the reinjection‐free rate which was considered a survival rate was evaluated for 1 year after the first injection. Results: The patients with initial visual acuity lower than log MAR 0.5 showed 52.6% survival rate within 1 year compared with 14.3% of the patients with visual acuity higher than log MAR 0.5 (p < 0.01). The patients with occluded vein closer than a distance of 2.5 disc diameters (DD) from the foveal center had a 57.1% survival rate and the patients with occluded vein farther than a distance of 2.5 DD from the foveal center had a 25.0% survival rate (p = 0.04). Macular BRVO and major BRVO patients had 64.3% and 16.7% survival rates, respectively (p = 0.01). Conclusions: The patients with BRVO may have less chance of repetitive intravitreal bevacizumab injections due to macular edema when initial visual acuity is lower than log MAR 0.5, occluded vein is closer than 2.5 DD from the foveal center, and macular branch is involved at the initial diagnosis. These factors can be utilized to predict the prognosis of BRVO patients and the probability of repetitive intravitreal bevacizumab injections. J Korean Ophthalmol Soc 2015;56(10):1580-1585