Outcomes of Intravitreal Bevacizumab and Diode Laser Photocoagulation for Treatment-Warranted Retinopathy of Prematurity

Abstract

Background and objective: To investigate the outcomes of infants with treatment-warranted retinopathy of prematurity (TW-ROP) who received intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin; Genentech, South San Francisco, CA) (IVB) injections as compared to diode laser photocoagulation (DLP).

Patients and methods: Data from the Stanford University Network for Diagnosis of Retinopathy of Prematurity database and inpatients at Stanford Children's Hospital were retrospectively reviewed for premature newborns with TW-ROP treated with DLP or 0.625 mg of IVB. Patient characteristics, hospital course, and neurodevelopmental outcomes were compared.

Results: In all, 49 eyes from 25 patients were included; 10 infants (20 eyes) received DLP and 15 infants (29 eyes) received IVB. The IVB infants had significantly fewer diagnoses at the time of discharge and fewer readmissions after initial hospital discharge than the DLP infants (four versus six diagnoses, P = .004; zero versus one readmission, P = .038). At an average of 20 months corrected age, there was no significant difference in neurodevelopmental delay (adjusted odds ratio = 0.87; 95% CI, 0.08-9.46).

Conclusion: Systemic morbidity may be similar among infants treated initially with bevacizumab compared to DLP. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2018;49:126-131.].