title: Successful use of intravitreal ranibizumab injection and combined treatment in the management of Coats' disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the efficacy of intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR) combined with another ablative therapy, such as laser photocoagulation, for Coats' disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients younger than 16 years of age who were diagnosed with Coats' disease were included in this study. They were treated with IVR (0.5 mg, monthly in the first 3 months) as an initial treatment, which was combined with another ablative therapy, such as laser photocoagulation or cryotherapy, as needed. The main data evaluation and outcome measurements included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) before and after treatment, fundus photography, optical coherence tomography (OCT), the number of treatment sessions, and ocular and systemic side-effects during follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen patients were included in this study; the average age was 7.9 ± 3.8 years, and the average follow-up time was 9.7 ± 3.3 months. The mean number of IVR treatments was 3.9 ± 1.0. Sixteen patients (94.1%) needed another treatment. Eleven patients (64.7%) were stable at the final follow-up. The BCVA at the last follow-up was significantly improved compared to baseline (p < 0.001). Telangiectasia regression was found in all patients. Partial and total retinal attached was found in 14 patients (82.4%), and exudate resolution was found in eight patients (47.1%). There were no severe ocular or systemic side-effects during the follow-up period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intravitreal ranibizumab combined with other ablative therapies as an initial treatment is an effective and safe treatment approach for Coats' disease that may improve the visual acuity and reduce the subretinal fluid, exudates and telangiectasia.
authors.affiliation: Beijing Tongren Eye Centre, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.|Key Laboratory of Intraocular Tumor Diagnosis and Treatment, Beijing Ophthalmology and Visual Science Eye Lab., Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Qiong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Beijing Tongren Eye Centre, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.|Key Laboratory of Intraocular Tumor Diagnosis and Treatment, Beijing Ophthalmology and Visual Science Eye Lab., Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Wenbin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Beijing Tongren Eye Centre, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.|Key Laboratory of Intraocular Tumor Diagnosis and Treatment, Beijing Ophthalmology and Visual Science Eye Lab., Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xuehui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Beijing Tongren Eye Centre, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.|Key Laboratory of Intraocular Tumor Diagnosis and Treatment, Beijing Ophthalmology and Visual Science Eye Lab., Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Lihong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D017679:Cryotherapy; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D017075:Laser Coagulation; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000069579:Ranibizumab / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058456:Retinal Telangiectasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000069579:Ranibizumab
keywords: Coats' disease; combined treatment; intravitreal ranibizumab injection