Subconjunctival conbercept for the treatment of corneal neovascularization

Abstract

Aim: To investigate the effectiveness and safety of subconjunctival injection of conbercept in the treatment of corneal neovascularization (CNV).

Methods: The data on 10 consecutively recruited patients with CNV who received a subconjunctival conbercept (1 mg) once, and measured the area, length, and diameter of neovascularization before and after (1d, 1, 2wk, and 1mo) treatment as well as the occurrence of systemic and ocular complications after treatment were analyzed.

Results: There was a statistically significant reduction in the area of CNV one day after treatment (mean±SD: 38.46±11.36 mm²), compared with before treatment (42.46±12.80 mm², P<0.01). There was also a statistically significant reduction in the length (3.86±1.80 mm vs 4.64±1.77 mm, P<0.01) and diameter (0.044±0.022 vs 0.060±0.026, P<0.05) of CNV, one week after treatment comparing to before treatment. The reduction in all three parameters was maximized at two weeks after treatment (area: 29.49±8.83 mm², P<0.001; length: 3.50±1.88 mm, P<0.001; and diameter: 0.038±0.017 mm, P<0.01). No severe systemic or ocular complication was observed during the study.

Conclusion: During the observation period of one-month, subconjunctival injection of conbercept is an effective and safe method for the reduction of CNV. It may be effective as a preoperative drug for neovascular corneal transplantation.

Keywords: anti-vascular endothelial growth factor; conbercept; corneal neovascularization; subconjunctival injection.

Figure 1. Outcomes of corneal neovascularization (CNV) parameters at five different time points

A: CNV area; B: CNV length; C: CNV diameter. Compared with before treatment, ^aP<0.05, ^bP<0.01, ^cP<0.001. The significant therapeutic response which was evidenced as early as 1d, then peaked at 2wk, and reduced at 1mo.

Figure 2. The effect of subconjunctival conbercept in patient 3, a 49-year-old man with chemical injury in the left eye complicated by corneal scarring, and neovascularization

A: Baseline picture shows two main vessel branches emerging from the 12-o'clock and 5-o'clock position at the limbus and passing into the depressed scar in the corneal mid-periphery where it branched several times into smaller-caliber vessels. B, C, D, E: 1d, 1, 2wk, and 1mo after subconjunctival conbercept.