title: Intravitreal bevacizumab for retinopathy of prematurity as first line or rescue therapy with focal laser treatment. A case series.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Laser therapy is effective in the treatment of severe forms of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), and aggressive posterior ROP (APROP), but always damages the retina. We report our preliminary findings in seven premature infants with complicated ROP or APROP who were treated with intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) as first line monotherapy or rescue therapy combined with laser treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied retrospectively seven preterm infants, who were affected by APROP (n = 4) or pre-threshold ROP (n = 3). Infants were treated with IVB (0.625 mg; Avastin®, Roche, Basel, Switzerland) monotherapy (n = 2) when they were too sick to undergo lengthy laser treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Monotherapy IVB (n = 3 eyes) and IVB combined with laser therapy (n = 3 eyes) of APROP cases were followed by regression of the ROP and complete peripheral vascularization. The combined therapy with IVB and laser therapy of pre-threshold ROP (5 eyes) produced a regression of neovascularization and good retinal anatomical outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In our series, IVB was successful in treating ROP in a small cohort of extremely preterm infants with APROP or pre-threshold ROP, both as monotherapy or rescue treatment after laser therapy, without the development of ocular and systemic short- and long-term adverse effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical and Medical Critical Care, Section of Neonatology, Careggi University Hospital of Florence, Florence, Italy. cdani@unifi.It
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dani
authors.forename: Saverio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Frosini
authors.forename: Pina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fortunato
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bertini
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pratesi
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pollazzi
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Caputo
authors.forename: Agostino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: La Torre
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D057176:Compassionate Use Trials; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016879:Salvage Therapy
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab