Role of Subconjunctival Bevacizumab as an Adjuvant to Primary Trabeculectomy: A Prospective Randomized Comparative 1-Year Follow-up Study

Purpose: To compare the safety and efficacy of primary trabeculectomy with adjunctive subconjunctival bevacizumab with that of primary trabeculectomy with mitomycin C (MMC). Materials and Methods: Forty-two patients with primary open-angle glaucoma were studied. Randomly, subject's eyes underwent primary trabeculectomy with either subconjunctival bevacizumab (2.5 mg/0.1 mL) or topical MMC (0.2 mg/mL for 3 min). The intraocular pressure (IOP) was the primary outcome measure. Secondary outcome measures included the corrected distance visual acuity, number of antiglaucoma medications, postoperative interventions and complications, bleb evaluation (on the basis of Moorfields Bleb Grading System), and the percentage of eyes achieving target pressure of 21, 18, 15, and 12 mm Hg at 6 and 12 months postoperatively. Results: Of the 42 eyes, 21 treated with subconjunctival bevacizumab while 21 were treated with MMC. The mean preoperative IOP in the bevacizumab group improved from 23.9 +/- 2.7 mm Hg with 2.6 +/- 0.7 antiglaucoma medications to 13.9 +/- 2.8 mm Hg with 0.6 +/- 0.9 antiglaucoma medications at 12 months (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). The mean preoperative IOP in MMC group improved from 22.9 +/- 2.6 mm Hg with 2.7 +/- 0.8 antiglaucoma medications to 12.2 +/- 3.2 mm Hg with 0.1 +/- 0.5 antiglaucoma medications at 12 months (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). At 12 months, 15 of 21 (71%) eyes in the MMC group met a target IOP of 12mm Hg without antiglaucoma medication while 7 of 21 (33%) eyes in the bevacizumab group did (P = 0.02). Encapsulated bleb was seen in 2 (10%) patients in MMC group and in 6 (29%) patients in bevacizumab group (P = 0.23). Conclusions: Although subconjunctival bevacizumab is effective and safe in primary trabeculectomy, IOP control appears to be superior with MMC, in terms of complete success with a target IOP < 12mm Hg and number of antiglaucoma medications required postoperatively.