Treatment outcomes of central retinopathy of prematurity with localization in the Moscow regional perinatal center

BACKGROUND: Ranibizumab is widely used in retinopathy of prematurity. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness, the risk of complications, and recurrence of the disease by antiangiogenic therapy.

AIM: To demonstrate the experience of using anti-VEGF drugs in the Moscow Regional Perinatal Center and the effectiveness of different approaches to retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) treatment in the central retinal zone.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: The case histories of 17 deeply premature infants with threshold ROP stages and localization in the posterior pole were retrospectively analyzed. Children were treated with intravitreal VEGF inhibitor (total 9 children), 5 children underwent laser coagulation of the retina, and 3 children received combined treatment (laser and intravitreal administration of a VEGF inhibitor).

RESULTS: The average age of development of threshold stages was 35.2 weeks (range: 30.5–39 weeks) in our study. The frequency of promising outcomes after using anti-VEGF drugs alone or in conjunction with peripheral laser treatment was 100%. In comparison, the only laser treatment generated a promising result in 70% of the eyes. However, ROP relapses after anti-VEGF therapy developed at 37, 43, 44,5 weeks. In addition, 1 out of 9 children developed a recurrence of ROP and required laser treatment 7 weeks after using anti-VEGF.

CONCLUSION: The use of anti-VEGF therapy is an effective method for the treatment of ROP of the posterior pole. However, there is the ambiguity of the available recommendations on the further management of children. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor the children who have received antiangiogenic therapy for as long as possible.