title: Antiangiogenic therapy with intravitreal bevacizumab for retinopathy of prematurity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the role of antiangiogenic therapy with intravitreal bevacizumab for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
  
  
  METHODS
  In this noncomparative, prospective, interventional case series, bevacizumab was injected into the vitreous of patients with ROP in three different groups: group I, patients with stage IVa or IVb ROP who had no response to conventional treatment; group II, patients with threshold ROP who were difficult to treat with conventional therapy because of poor visualization of the retina; and group III, patients with high-risk prethreshold or threshold ROP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirteen patients (18 eyes; mean age +/- SD, 4 +/- 3 months; mean follow-up, 6 months) were included in the study. We found neovascular regression in 17 eyes. One patient with stage IVa ROP had spontaneous retinal reattachment after an intravitreal injection of bevacizumab. There were no serious ocular or systemic adverse events.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of bevacizumab may be promising in the treatment of patients with ROP. Further studies need to be performed to determine the safety and long-term efficacy of intravitreal injection of bevacizumab, either as first-line therapy or after failure of conventional therapy.
authors.affiliation: Retina Service, Asociacion Para Evitar La Ceguera en México (APEC), Mexico City, Mexico. retinamex@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Hugo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Quiroz-Mercado
authors.forename: Maria A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Martinez-Castellanos
authors.forename: Myriam L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Hernandez-Rojas
authors.forename: Nelida
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Salazar-Teran
authors.forename: Robinson Vernon Paul
authors.initials: RV
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab