title: Intravitreal injection of bevacizumab for retinopathy of prematurity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the outcomes of intravitreal injection of bevacizumab (IVB) for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
  
  
  METHODS
  IVB was selected to be the first treatment for type 1 ROP in 8 eyes (4 patients). Bevacizumab (0.25 mg/eye) was injected into the vitreous cavity under either general anesthesia or sedation. Fundus photography and fluorescein angiography were performed before the IVB. One infant was observed to the age of 1 year 6 months, the second to 1 year 9 months, the third to 1 year 10 months, and the fourth to 2 years 0 month.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Before the IVB, 6 eyes (3 patients) had ROP in zone II and 2 eyes (one patient) had ROP in zone I. The 3 infants with ROP in zone II weighed 652, 476, and 579 g with gestational ages of 24, 27, and 24 weeks at birth, respectively. The infant with ROP in zone I weighed 972 g with a gestational age of 26 weeks at birth. IVB was performed at postmenstrual ages of 33-37 weeks. The IVB was effective in all eyes with ROP in zone II and additional treatment was not required, whereas vitreous hemorrhage and cataract were found at 19 weeks and 5 months after the initial IVB in the two eyes with ROP in zone I. These two eyes required additional IVB, laser photocoagulation, and surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that eyes with type 1 ROP in zone II can be treated with IVB. Further studies are needed with a larger number of eyes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kinki University Faculty of Medicine, 377-2 Ohno-Higashi, Osaka-Sayama, Osaka, 589-8511, Japan, kuniyoshi-kazuki@umin.net.
authors.forename: Kazuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kuniyoshi
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugioka
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakuramoto
authors.forename: Shunji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kusaka
authors.forename: Norihisa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Yoshikazu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shimomura
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D052577:Infant, Extremely Low Birth Weight; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D008297:Male; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab