Effect of Bevacizumab on Inflammation and Proliferation in Human Choroidal Neovascularization

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effect of bevacizumab (Avastin; Genentech, Inc, South San Francisco, California) on inflammation and proliferation in human choroidal neovascularization (CNV) secondary to age-related macular degeneration. METHODS Retrospective review of interventional series of 38 patients who underwent choroidal neaovascular membrane (CNVM) extraction. Twenty-four patients received intravitreal bevacizumab 1 to 154 days preoperatively (bevacizumab CNV group). Fourteen patients received no preoperative therapy (control CNV group). The CNVM were stained for cytokeratin 18, CD68, CD45, intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)–1, E-selectin, Ki-67, Thy-1, and endostatin. RESULTS No significant difference was detected in ICAM-1 and E-selectin expression between groups. The density of leukocytes in the bevacizumab CNV group (median, 271.61 cells/mm2) was higher than in the control CNV group (median, 116.87 cells/mm2; P = .07), but without significance. Density of macrophages (median, 4661.95 cells/mm2), proliferative activity (median, 160.19 cells/mm2), and percentage of Thy-1–expressing vessels (median, 100%) were significantly higher in the bevacizumab CNV group than in the control CNV group (median, 882.66 cells/mm2, P