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Comparison of fluorescein angiographic findings in type 1 and type 2 retinopathy of prematurity with intravitreal bevacizumab monotherapy and spontaneous regression

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Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the extent of vascularization of the peripheral retina and vascular development patterns in patients with type 1 retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) treated with intravitreal injection of bevacizumab (IVB) and compare fluorescein angiography (FA) findings of them to those seen in patients with type 2 ROP who have recovered spontaneously.

Methods

Between May 2014 and September 2016, patients with type 1 ROP who had a single 0.025 ml (0.625 mg) IVB were evaluated as study group. On the other hand, type 2 ROP patients with stage 2 or stage 3 ROP in zone II without plus disease on indirect ophthalmoscopy were not treated and included as a control group. The progression of ROP and vascularization of retina were evaluated by FA under sedation analgesia in all patients.

Results

Sixty-two eyes of 31 premature infants were included in the study: 36 eyes/18 patients were treated for type 1 ROP and 26 eyes/13 patients were followed conservatively with the diagnoses of type 2 ROP. In the last FA examination among the study group, vascular terminal was in zone II in 8 eyes/4 patients (22.22%) and in zone III in 28 eyes/14 patients (77.78%). Vascular terminal was in zone III in all eyes of the control group (100%). We noted circumferential vessels in 12 eyes/8 patients (33.3%) and 7 eyes/5 patients (26.92%) in the study and control groups, respectively. Abnormal branching was noticed in 13 eyes/7 patients (46.42%) in the control group, whereas it was not detected in the study group. Arteriovenous shunts were noted in 1 eye of a patient in the study group and in 5 eyes/4 patients in the control group. In 6 eyes/3 patients among the study group, we performed laser photocoagulation to the avascular retina because of profound vascular leakage.

Conclusion

Peripheral vascular abnormalities probably occur as a result of ROP itself because similar FA findings were detected both in type 1 and type 2 ROP patients with or without treatment, although significantly less in IVB-treated group. Retinal vascularization usually reaches the farthermost limits with time even though it slows down in eyes treated with IVB, indicating the importance of a longer follow-up.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ophthalmology Clinics, Bakırkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Bakirkoy, Istanbul, Turkey

    Aslı Vural, Ismail Umut Onur & Fadime Ulviye Yiğit

  2. Ophthalmology Clinics, Kanuni Sultan Suleyman Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

    Dilbade Yıldız Ekinci

  3. Anesthesiology Clinics, Bakırkoy Dr. Sadi Konuk Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey

    Gülsüm Oya Hergünsel

Authors
  1. Aslı Vural
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  2. Dilbade Yıldız Ekinci
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  3. Ismail Umut Onur
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  4. Gülsüm Oya Hergünsel
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Correspondence to Aslı Vural.

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Conflict of interest

All authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers’ bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangements), or non-financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge, or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee (Dr. Sadi Konuk Bakirkoy EAH ethical committee) and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. It is a retrospective study; therefore, formal consent is not required.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants’ parents in the study, as it is routinely done before all invasive procedure.

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Vural, A., Ekinci, D.Y., Onur, I.U. et al. Comparison of fluorescein angiographic findings in type 1 and type 2 retinopathy of prematurity with intravitreal bevacizumab monotherapy and spontaneous regression. Int Ophthalmol 39, 2267–2274 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-018-01064-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10792-018-01064-7

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