ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR) for the treatment of retinopathy of prematurity(ROP). MethodsA total of 57 eyes of 29 premature infants with diagnosis of high-risk pre-threshold, threshold ROP, or aggressive posterior ROP were reviewed and analyzed in the study. The lesions of 18 eyes were located in zoneⅠ, 39 eyes were located in zoneⅡ. All infants in the study received IVR (10 mg/ml, 0.025 ml) as the initial treatment within 24 hours after diagnosis. Follow-up examinations were performed after treatment, every week at the first month, every 2 weeks at the second and third month, every month afterward, until vascularization of zoneⅢwas observed. Follow-up ranged from 16 weeks to 52 weeks, and the average follow-up time was (28.1±11.7) weeks. If the infants didn't respond positively to the treatment or the disease recurred, the additional treatments were applied. 36 eyes (63.2%) received a single injection, whereas 21 eyes (36.8%) received additional treatments. The follow-up examinations included the development of retinal vessels, the ocular or systemic adverse events. ResultsAmong the eyes, the development of peripheral retinal vessels could be observed in 36 eyes (63.2%) which received a single injection; clinical improvement in 11 eye (19.3%) which received repeat injection; stable disease in 10 eyes (17.5%) which received laser therapy. Among the eyes, 18 eyes (31.6%) recurred, including ggressive posterior ROP (14 eyes), threshold ROP (2 eyes) and high-risk pre-threshold ROP (2 eyes). The mean time of recurrence was (5.7±2.1) weeks (range 2.0-8.0 weeks). Three eyes (5.3%) of high-risk pre-threshold, threshold ROP lacked a positive response to the treatment. The lesions were controlled after additional laser given in these eyes. No serious ocular or systemic adverse events associated with the drug or the injection was observed during the follow-up period. ConclusionIVR is safe and effective for most ROP infants. In cases of recurrence or no response, conventional laser treatment or an additional IVR injection were needed.
ObjectiveTo investigate the efficacy of laser photocoagulation and intravitreal ranibizumab treatment of retinopathy of premature(ROP). MethodsThis study included 49 ROP infants (96 eyes), including type 1 pre-threshold ROP (7 infants, 14 eyes), threshold ROP (38 infants, 44 eyes) and aggressive posterior ROP (AP-ROP, 4 infants, 8 eyes). According to the treatments received, all patients were divided into laser photocoagulation (LP) group (40 infants, 78 eyes) and intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR) treatment group (9 infants, 18 eyes). Generally, zoneⅡand stage 3 ROP with clear refractive media received laser photocoagulation, zoneⅠROP and AP-ROP, or eyes with unclear refractive media or infants with poor general condition received IVR. The infant gestational age, birth weight, corrected gestational age at first treatment and the cure rate of the first treatment were analyzed between the two groups, and between three disease types (type 1 pre-threshold, threshold and AP-ROP). ResultsThe gestational age and birth weight was no difference between the LP group and IVR group (t=0.827, 1.911; P > 0.05). The corrected gestational age at first treatment of LP group was significantly smaller than that in the IVR group (t=3.041, P < 0.05). In the LP group, 75 of 78 eyes (96.15%) was cured by the first treatment, 3 of 78 eyes (3.85%) progressed to stage 4A after the first treatment and was controlled by vitrectomy. In the IVR group, 8 of 18 eyes (44.44%) was cured by the first treatment, 10 of 18 eyes (55.56%) progressed to next stage after the first treatment and was controlled by additional laser photocoagulation or repeated IVR. The gestational age and birth weight was no difference between type 1 pre-threshold, threshold and AP-ROP infants (t=2.071, 0.664; P > 0.05). The corrected gestational age at first treatment of type 1 pre-threshold infants was the same of the threshold lesion infants (t=2.054, P > 0.05). The corrected gestational age at first treatment of AP-ROP infants was significantly smaller than that of type 1 pre-threshold and threshold lesion infants (t=3.250, P < 0.05). The cure rate was statistically significant (χ2=24.787, P < 0.05) between there three ROP lesions. ConclusionIVR treatment is suitable for zoneⅠlesions, AP-ROP and Plus lesions, while laser photocoagulation is appropriate for zoneⅡlesions with fibrosis and less vascular proliferation.