Efficacy of Bevacizumab Compared to Mitomycin C Modulated Trabeculectomy in Primary Open Angle Glaucoma: A One-Year Prospective Randomized Controlled Study

Abstract

Purpose: To compare the efficacy of bevacizumab over mitomycin C (MMC) modulated trabeculectomy in cases of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG).

Method: In this prospective randomized controlled study, 80 eyes of 80 patients with uncontrolled POAG or intolerant to antiglaucoma medications were randomized to two groups: Group 1 (n = 40) patients underwent trabeculectomy modulated with MMC (0.2 mg/ml), whereas Group 2 (n = 40) patients underwent trabeculectomy modulated with bevacizumab (1.25 mg/0.05 ml). The outcome measures were best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), number of glaucoma medications and bleb morphological features based on Moorfields Bleb Grading System (MBGS). All patients were followed up for one year post trabeculectomy.

Results: The mean preoperative IOP in the bevacizumab group improved from 22.41 ±1.08 mm Hg with 3.2 ± 0.9 glaucoma medications to 13.68 ± 0.79 mm Hg with 0.11 ± 0.32 glaucoma medications at one year (P < 0.001). The mean preoperative IOP in the MMC group improved from 22.64 ± 0.90 mm Hg with 3.1 ± 0.8 glaucoma medications to 13.84 ± 0.73 mm Hg with 0.17 ± 0.38 glaucoma medications at one year (P < 0.001). IOP was comparable between two groups at one year (P = 0.43). No significant differences were found in bleb morphological features based on MBGS regarding central bleb area, peripheral bleb area, height and central vascularity between the two groups at six months and one year. However, there was a statistically significant difference in peripheral bleb vascularity and peripheral non-bleb vascularity with bevacizumab group exhibiting a low degree of vascularity at one year (P = 0.029 and 0.004, respectively).

Conclusion: Adjunctive bevacizumab in trabeculectomy is effective and comparable to MMC for controlling IOP in POAG patients for the first year.

Keywords: Bevacizumab; Moorfields bleb grading system; bleb; histopathology; mitomycin C; morphology; primary open angle glaucoma; trabeculectomy.