Availability, use, efficacy and safety of bevacizumab in European hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia centres

  • Pernille D Haahr*
  • , Anette D Kjeldsen
  • , Annette D Fialla
  • , Anne-Emmanuelle Fargeton
  • , Alexandre Guilhem
  • , Elisabetta Buscarini
  • , Freya Droege
  • , Guido Manfredi
  • , Hans-Jurgen Mager
  • , Jean-Christophe Saurin
  • , Jens Kjeldsen
  • , Josefien Hessels
  • , Marco C Post
  • , Robert Mandic
  • , Sanne Boerman
  • , Stefan Kasper-Virchow
  • , Sören Möller
  • , Urban Geisthoff
  • , Sophie Dupuis-Girod
  • *Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Bevacizumab, a vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor, is used off-label for treatment of severe anaemia related to epistaxis, gastrointestinal bleeding and/or severe hepatic arteriovenous malformations (HAVM) and right-sided cardiac failure in patients with hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT).

AIM: To report the experience of treatment with bevacizumab within European Reference Network for Rare Multisystemic Vascular Diseases (VASCERN) centres.

METHOD: A retrospective analysis of the usage, availability, efficacy and safety in HHT patients treated with bevacizumab in European VASCERN centres.

RESULTS: A total of 151 patients received treatment with bevacizumab in European VASCERN centres. Most patients were treated in Denmark, France and the Netherlands. There was an improvement in haemoglobin with a mean increase of 2.9 g/dL (95% confidence interval 2.4, 3.6) and significant reduction in the number of red blood cell transfusions. Cardiac output was measured and improved in 85% of patients treated for high output cardiac failure in relation to severe HAVM. No severe adverse events were recorded, but 70 patients experienced at least one adverse event.

CONCLUSION: Although this is a retrospective study, we demonstrated convincing efficacy of bevacizumab in the treatment of patients with HHT, with a good risk-benefit balance.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)535-544
JournalBritish Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
Volume92
Issue number2
Early online date23 Sept 2025
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2026

Keywords

  • VASCERN
  • bevacizumab
  • hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia

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