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Anti-VEGF with laser helps prevent recurrence of stage 3+ ROP
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Administration of intravitreal pegaptanib in conjunction with laser photocoagulation helped to manage stage 3+ retinopathy of prematurity, according to a study.
“The results of this study support administration of pegaptanib with laser photocoagulation as a useful and safe therapy of aggressive ROP, and as a valuable option to achieve rapid regression of neovascularization and fibrovascular membranes and promote peripheral retinal vessel development,” the study authors said.
The prospective randomized study included 152 eyes of 76 premature infants with zone 1 or posterior zone 2 stage 3+ ROP. Sixty-eight eyes of 34 infants received intravitreal injections of Macugen 0.3 mg (pegaptanib, Valeant Pharmaceuticals) and conventional diode laser photocoagulation; 84 eyes of 42 infants underwent laser therapy combined with cryotherapy.
Success of treatment was defined as absence of recurrence of stage 3+ ROP.
Mean follow-up was 19.3 months in the pegaptanib-laser group and 21.5 months in the laser-cryotherapy group.
Study results showed that 89.7% of eyes in the pegaptanib-laser group and 60% of eyes in the laser-cryotherapy group had final favorable anatomic outcomes and stable regression of ROP.
No recurrence of neovascularization was seen in 85.4% of patients in the pegaptanib-laser group and 50% of patients in the laser-cryotherapy group.
The rate of bilateral recurrence of neovascularization was 2.9% in the pegaptanib-laser group and 12% in the laser-cryotherapy group. The between-group difference was statistically significant (P = .0385).
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