title: Effect of Intravitreal Aflibercept on Central Retinal Arterial Blood Flow in Type 1 Retinopathy of Prematurity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the blood flow changes of the central retinal artery measured with color Doppler imaging (CDI) in infants receiving intravitreal aflibercept (IVA) for treatment of type 1 retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with type 1 ROP were assessed prospectively by CDI following IVA. Color Doppler imaging was used to measure the peak systolic velocity, end diastolic velocity (EDV), pulsatility index (PI), and resistivity index (RI) of the central retinal artery (CRA) before IVA injection and 1 hour, 1 week, and 1 month after injection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 29 eyes of 15 infants were included in this study. The mean gestational age at birth was 28.62 ± 2.48 weeks and the mean birthweight was 1,198.62 ± 348.99 g. All treated eyes showed complete regression of ROP and peripheral retinal vascularization continued. Measurements of EDV-CRA, RI-CRA, and PI-CRA showed significant changes after IVA treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study showed that IVA is an effective treatment for type 1 ROP. After IVA treatment, vascular resistance increases, ocular blood flow decreases, and changes in hemodynamic parameters of CRA may remain for a month. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effect of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents on ocular hemodynamics in infants with ROP.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Ophthalmology, Turkish Republic Ministry of Health Adana Numune Training and Research Hospital, Adana - Turkey.
authors.forename: Emine A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Sukgen
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Radyodiagnosis, Turkish Republic Ministry of Health Adana Numune Training and Research Hospital, Adana - Turkey.
authors.forename: Gökhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Söker
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Ophthalmology, Turkish Republic Ministry of Health Adana Numune Training and Research Hospital, Adana - Turkey.
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Koçluk
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Radyodiagnosis, Turkish Republic Ministry of Health Adana Numune Training and Research Hospital, Adana - Turkey.
authors.forename: Bozkurt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gülek
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects*; D012160:Retina / Q000503:physiopathology; D012161:Retinal Artery / Q000502:physiology*; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000494:pharmacology; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C533178:aflibercept; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor
keywords: Aflibercept; Blood flow; Central retinal artery; Intravitreal; Retinopathy of prematurity