Twenty-two studies (12,902 eyes, 12,699 patients) were included in the review. These comprised one international safety survey, six retrospective studies that assessed the safety of intravitreal bevacizumab, seven prospective clinical studies, and eight retrospective clinical studies. Six case reports (seve patients) were also included. The duration of follow-up ranged from one to 25 months.
The most common side effect was increased blood pressure which was reported in 59 patients (0.46% of all patients). Other reported adverse events were cerebrovascular accidents (27 patients), myocardial infarction (24 patients), transient ischaemic attack (five patients), deep vein thrombosis (one patient), angina (18 patients), renal disorder (12 patients), gastrointestinal bleeding (11 patients) ,skin rash/redness (two patients) and menstrual irregularity (three patients). There were 23 deaths (0.18%).
Case reports reported a papulopustular rash, a third and sixth nerve palsy, transient global amnesia, early loss of pregnancy, and metrorrhagia.
The Canadian Adverse Drug Reaction Information System Database yielded one report of a possible systemic adverse event in a older man (79 years) who experienced a number of adverse events, but he was also taking multiple other drugs.