title: Intravitreal bevacizumab monotherapy for type-1 prethreshold, threshold, and aggressive posterior retinopathy of prematurity - 27 month follow-up results from Turkey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the efficacy of intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) injection as a single treatment for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective interventional case series study performed in a clinical practice setting; a total of 122 patients including prethreshold (type 1) (n  = 79, 152 eyes, six unilateral), threshold (n = 12, 24 eyes), and aggressive posterior (APROP) (n = 31, 62 eyes); cases were included without any randomization or masking. A total of 253 IVB injections, 238 in the first session, 11 in the second session, and four in the third session were performed, and followed up for a mean of 89.155 ± 4.277 (range 82 to 105) weeks of postmenstrual age (PMA). Regression of ROP, maturation of the retina, and associated complications were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total regression was achieved in 227/238 eyes (95.4 %) after the first dose injection. The remaining 11 received a second injection, after which an additional seven (234/238; 98.2 %) regressed; after the third injection, the remaining 4 (238/238; 100 %) regressed. Complete retinal vascular maturation was achieved without any significant complications in all of the cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IVB injection as monotherapy seems to be a very effective treatment modality for ROP. Based on timely intervention, IVB as a single treatment modality can salvage almost all ROP cases before stage 4.
authors.affiliation: Cerrahpasa School of Medicine, Istanbul University, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey. huseyinyetik@gmail.com.|Surp Pirgic Armenian Foundation Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Istanbul University, Zakirbaşı Sokak, 34020, Zeytinburnu, Istanbul, Turkey. huseyinyetik@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Huseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yetik
authors.affiliation: Turkish Republic Ministry of Health Zeynep Kamil Gynocology and Pediatrics Education and Research Hospital, Uskudar, Istanbul, Turkey. drmurat301@yahoo.com.tr.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gunay
authors.affiliation: Surp Pirgic Armenian Foundation Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Istanbul University, Zakirbaşı Sokak, 34020, Zeytinburnu, Istanbul, Turkey. sarkissirop@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Sarkis
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sirop
authors.affiliation: Cerrahpasa School of Medicine, Istanbul University, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey. zsalihoglu@yahoo.com.|Bezmialem Foundation University, Fatih, Istanbul, Turkey. zsalihoglu@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ziya
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Salihoglu
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068258:Bevacizumab / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001724:Birth Weight; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D019233:Retreatment; D014421:Turkey; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab
keywords: Anti-VEGF; Bevacizumab; Intravitreal injection; Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP)