title: Intravitreal bevacizumab for retinopathy of prematurity: refractive error results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate refractive error in infants who underwent intravitreal bevacizumab injection for treatment of threshold retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective nonrandomized interventional comparative study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study group included all infants who consecutively received a single intravitreal bevacizumab (0.375 mg or 0.625 mg) injection for therapy of threshold ROP in fundus zone I or zone II. The control group included infants who had previously undergone retinal argon laser therapy of ROP. The follow-up examination included refractometry under cycloplegic conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study group included 12 children (23 eyes; mean birth weight: 622 ± 153 g; gestational age: 25.2 ± 1.6 weeks) and the control group included 13 children (26 eyes; birth weight: 717 ± 197 g; gestational age: 25.3 ± 1.8 weeks). Both groups did not differ significantly in birth age and weight and follow-up. At the end of follow-up at 11.4 ± 2.3 months after birth, refractive error was less myopic in the study group than in the control group (-1.04 ± 4.24 diopters [median: 0 diopters] vs -4.41 ± 5.50 diopters [median: -5.50 diopters]; P = .02). Prevalence of moderate myopia (17% ± 8% vs 54% ± 10%; P = .02; OR: 0.18 [95% CI: 0.05, 0.68]) and high myopia (9% ± 6% vs 42% ± 10%; P = .01; OR: 0.13 [95% CI: 0.03, 0.67]) was significantly lower in the bevacizumab group. Refractive astigmatism was significantly lower in the study group (-1.0 ± 1.04 diopters vs 1.82 ± 1.41 diopters; P = .03). In multivariate analysis, myopic refractive error and astigmatism were significantly associated with laser therapy vs bevacizumab therapy (P = .04 and P = .02, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a 1-year follow-up, a single intravitreal bevacizumab injection as compared to conventional retinal laser coagulation was helpful for therapy of ROP and led to less myopization and less astigmatism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Björn C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Harder
authors.forename: Frank C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Schlichtenbrede
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: von Baltz
authors.forename: Waldemar
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jendritza
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jendritza
authors.forename: Jost B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Jonas
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001251:Astigmatism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D052577:Infant, Extremely Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D054020:Lasers, Gas / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D009216:Myopia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015861:Retinal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab