Patients expectations about the efficacy of an Avastin (bevacizumab, Genentech) injection will temper their likelihood to return for further follow-up injections, say researchers in Brazil.

In the retrospective study, 82 patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) were treated, and nearly one-third of them (24) stopped treatment during the regimen. Of the 19 who answered the researchers survey, unexpectedly poor visual results caused eight patients to stop treatment; lack of information about follow-up visits influenced another five; such comorbidities as malignancy, Alzheimers disease and cerebral vascular disease ended three patients treatment; and difficulty booking appointments or traveling to the facility led to three patients decision to end treatment.

Researchers note, however, that visual acuity had actually improved due to Avastin injection in 14 of the 19 patients. But, because patients expectations differed from the outcome, even a positive result did not impress them.

 

Nunes RP, Berti T, Coral S, et al. Causes of discontinuity of bevacizumab therapy in age-related macular degeneration. Abstract 951/D837. Paper presented at Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology. Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 2009.