A systematic review of intravitreal bevacizumab for the treatment of diabetic macular edema

The accuracy of the contents of the source documentation on which this report is based is not warranted, assured, or represented in any way by CADTH, and CADTH does not assume responsibility for the quality, propriety, inaccuracies, or reasonableness of any statements, information, or conclusions contained in the source documentation. [...] DME — which is swelling of the retina due to leakage of fluid from blood vessels within the macula, the central portion of the retina — may occur at any time during the progression of DR.1 The goal of treatment is to preserve current visual acuity and reduce the chances of progression to visual loss. [...] Supplemental Safety Evaluation: Given the relative paucity of high quality safety evidence reported in the trials included in the systematic review, a supplemental search of the literature was conducted to further evaluate the evidence for the safety of intravitreal bevacizumab among patients with DME and other ocular conditions. [...] A systematic review comparing ocular and systemic AEs associated with bevacizumab and ranibizumab used in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) did not show important differences in the frequency of events between the drugs.21 However, the results of the review were compromised by relatively lower quality 4 A Systematic Review of Intravitreal Bevacizumab for the Treatment of Diabeti [...] One study also reported the percentage of patients gaining ≥ 10 ETDRS letters and the percentage of patients who lost < 10 12 A Systematic Review of Intravitreal Bevacizumab for the Treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema ETDRS letters.9 All of the studies reported on safety assessments; however, relatively sparse data were presented for this outcome.