Efficacy of intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor agents for stage 4 retinopathy of prematurity

Role of Anti-Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (Anti-VEGF) in the Treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity: A Narrative Review in the Context of Middle-Income Countries

The rise in preterm births and higher survival rates of premature infants have led to a global increase in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a vasoproliferative retinal disorder common in premature infants. ROP is one of the leading causes of childhood blindness. Clinical manifestation of ROP ranges from mild abnormal retinal neovascularization to bilateral retinal detachment and vision loss. The incidence of ROP is higher in middle income countries, including India, which has the highest number of global preterm births. Low birth weight and low gestational age are the primary risk factors for ROP; however, anemia, cardiac defects, blood transfusion, apnea, sepsis, respiratory distress syndrome, high exposure to oxygen and poor postnatal weight gain may also contribute to its development. India has stringent ROP screening guidelines revised in 2018, and screening of infants with either birth weight <2000 grams or gestational age <34 weeks is mandated. With an improved understanding of the pathogenesis of ROP in the past decades and advances in clinical research, treatment for ROP has evolved from cryotherapy to laser retinal ablation. Most recently, anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) drugs have emerged as a favorable treatment option for zone-I and II ROP. This article reviews the current approaches for ROP treatment in India with a particular focus on anti-VEGF drugs. The article also integrates the understanding of safety and risk-benefit evaluation of the current approaches in ROP management. The review concluded that there is a need to increase the ROP screening not only for preterm and low birth weight but also for optimal gestational age infants with healthy birth weight. Anti-VEGF therapies have shown improved efficacy, although studies are required to establish the long-term safety.

Sequential Short Interval Anti-VEGF for the Treatment of Stage 4 Retinopathy of Prematurity

A 23-month-old girl born at 23 weeks' gestational age with a birth weight of 453 g and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) stage 4A in 360° and plus disease in both eyes was treated in another institution with laser; her treatment was complicated with two cardiac arrests during the procedure. The patient was referred and treated at 31 weeks with repeated intravitreal bevacizumab injection in both eyes secondary to progressive ROP. Treatment with multiple anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy as monotherapy led to the resolution of a retinal detachment and full vascularization of the retina in both eyes. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first description of a patient with stage 4A ROP treated solely with anti-VEGF after failed laser treatment that led to complete resolution of a retinal detachment without surgical intervention. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2022;53:159-163.].

New trends in intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy for ROP

Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) affects premature newborns, and it can cause childhood blindness and visual impairment if untreated. The understanding of the pathogenetic role of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) has led to development of therapeutic strategies such as intravitreal anti-VEGF drugs. We reported drug efficacy and ROP recurrence rates, extrapolated from the reviewed studies. Association of Pegabtanib and laser photocoagulation confers efficacy in the regression of ROP stage 3 plus in zone I / II in 89.7% of treated eyes, reducing the recurrence rate to 14.6% compared to 50% of laser therapy alone. Irrespective of the dose, Ranibizumab demonstrated average efficacy greater than 75% on regression of active disease with the highest rates of the dose of 0.1 mg (92.5%). The recurrence, on the other hand, is the highest among this new anti-VEGF agents and is around an average of 41.5%, which records the highest values in the case of Aggressive Posterior Rop (APROP). Aflibercept at a dose of 1 mg demonstrated average efficacy of about 81.9% of treated infants, analyzing significantly fewer studies than Ranibizumab. The recurrence rate stands at an average of 28.9%, especially in the later forms of ROP. Using a dose of 0.25 mg of Conbercept, the disease regression rate is currently on average 83%, with an average recurrence rate of 15.24%, the peak of which was observed in cases of ROP in zone I. Further studies are needed to prove safety at long term, because,at the moment, only short-term data are available.

[Microscope-integrated intraoperative optical coherence tomography in examination of pediatric patients under anesthesia]

BACKGROUND

The therapeutic principle of examinations of children under general anaesthesia using microscope-integrated optical coherence tomography (MI-OCT) is presented. The aim was to assess novel indications as well as limitations for MI-OCT to enhance ophthalmological examinations of neonates and children under general anesthesia.

METHODS

The study was based on a review of the literature from google.scholar.com and PubMed and our own data from a prospective study (Department for Ophthalmology, University of Cologne) of 14 children with anterior and posterior segment anomalies undergoing examinations under anesthesia. Patients were examined using a commercially available MI-OCT device. The study analyzed the general feasibility of MI-OCT for ophthalmological examination of children under general anesthesia for the anterior and posterior eye segments and the benefits of indications and intraoperative findings.

RESULTS

The MI-OCT significantly enriched the examinations of children under general anesthesia and delivered additional information not visible with the surgical microscope. Even in situations with a limited anterior chamber view MI-OCT enabled estimation of distances, such as corneal thickness. In addition to influencing therapeutic decisions, in 12/14 children MI-OCT also enabled examination of the thickness of the nerve fibre layer of the optic nerve disc and the retina.

CONCLUSION

The data presented here underline the benefit of the intraoperative MI-OCT in ophthalmological examinations of children under general anesthesia. In particular MI-OCT enables examinations of children with corneal opacification, if an ophthalmological examination under general anesthesia becomes necessary.

Comparison of intravitreal bevacizumab injection and laser photocoagulation for type 1 zone II retinopathy of prematurity

Purpose

To compare the efficacy of intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) injection with conventional laser photocoagulation in eyes with type 1 zone II retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

Methods

Preterm infants with type 1 ROP in zone II (stage 2 or 3 ROP with plus disease) were randomly assigned to intravitreal injection of 0.625 mg/0.025 ml bevacizumab (Group 1) or laser photocoagulation (Group 2). Patients were followed weekly for 4 weeks and then biweekly till 90 weeks gestational age. Also, spherical and cylindrical refractive errors were compared at 90 weeks postmenstrual age (PMA).

Results

A total of 116 preterm infants (232 eyes) were treated and completed the follow-up period. IVB injection was done in 154 eyes (77 cases), and laser photocoagulation was done in 78 eyes (39 cases). ROP regressed after single IVB injection in 149 eyes (96.8%) and in 5 eyes (3.2%) after the second injection. Cataract developed in one eye (0.63%) after IVB injection. ROP regressed in 94.7% of treated eyes (76 eyes) in the laser photocoagulation group; however, retinal fold and traction developed in 2 eyes. Spherical and also cylindrical refractive errors had no significant difference.

Conclusions

Both IVB injection and laser photocoagulation are effective methods for the treatment of type 1 zone II ROP. However, re-treatment requirement may be higher in the IVB injection group. IVB re-injection is an effective option for re-treatment in persistent cases.

Management of Retinopathy of Prematurity--Use of Anti-VEGF Therapy

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a leading cause of childhood blindness worldwide. Although laser photocoagulation re-mains the gold standard for treating threshold and prethreshold disease (type 1 ROP), the off-label use of anti‒vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy to treat ROP is increasing. Benefits include acute regression of ROP, growth of retinal vasculature beyond the demarcation line, lesser degree of myopia and peripheral visual field loss, and avoidance of sedation and intubation required for laser. However, controversies regarding anti-VEGF in this vulnerable population persist including choice of anti-VEGF agent, dosing, systemic absorption, safety, and late recurrence. This review updates recent evidence regarding the use of anti-VEGF therapy in the management of ROP.

Antivascular endothelial growth factor in the treatment of retinopathy of prematurity

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To review the most recent literature regarding the clinical experience of antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapies in the treatment of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

RECENT FINDINGS

Anti-VEGF agents in stage 3+ and aggressive posterior ROP have been shown to induce rapid ROP regression. However, significant reoccurrence rates can require repeat injections and thus longer term and more frequent follow-up. Initial studies reflect conflicting evidence regarding significant systemic side effects of these treatments, and outcomes in these patients past the first few years of life are yet to be definitively determined.

SUMMARY

Although anti-VEGF therapies show promise in the treatment of ROP, frequent reoccurrences and lack of thorough data about long-term side effects of pharmacologic intervention necessitate further research before anti-VEGF agents become the mainstay of ROP management.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Safety of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) Inhibitors for the Treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity

Introduction

Laser photocoagulation is the current gold standard treatment for proliferative retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). However, it permanently reduces the visual field and might induce myopia. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors for the treatment of ROP may enable continuing vascularization of the retina, potentially allowing the preservation of the visual field. However, for their use in infants concern remains. This meta-analysis explores the safety of VEGF inhibitors.

Methods

The Ovid Interface was used to perform a systematic review of the literature in the databases PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library.

Results

This meta-analysis included 24 original reports (including 1.457 eyes) on VEGF inhibitor treatment for ROP. The trials were solely observational except for one randomized and two case-control studies. We estimated a 6-month risk of retreatment per eye of 2.8%, and a 6-month risk of ocular complication without the need of retreatment of 1.6% per eye. Systemic complications were only reported as isolated incidents.

Discussion

VEGF inhibitors seem to be associated with low recurrence rates and ocular complication rates. They may have the benefit of potentially allowing the preservation of visual field and lower rates of myopia. Due to the lack of data, the risk of systemic side effects cannot be assessed.