Comparison of the Efficacy Between Intravitreal Aflibercept and Laser Photocoagulation in the Treatment of Retinopathy of Prematurity.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy of intravitreal aflibercept and laser photocoagulation in the treatment of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

METHODS

The files of patients who were diagnosed as having type 1 ROP or aggressive posterior ROP (APROP) and treated with laser photocoagulation and 1 mg/0.025 mL of intravitreal aflibercept were retrospectively analyzed. The patients' birth weight, gestational age, detection week of the disease, zone, stage, presence of plus disease and rubeosis, regression of ROP, re-treatments administered during the follow-up, and spherical equivalent values obtained at the corrected sixth month were recorded.

RESULTS

The study included 27 eyes of 15 patients who underwent laser photocoagulation and 24 eyes of 12 patients who received intravitreal aflibercept. Retinal vascularization was in zone II in all eyes in the laser photocoagulation group and zone 1 in 22 eyes (91.7%) in the intravitreal aflibercept group (P < .05). In the laser photocoagulation group, 25 eyes (92.6%) had stage 3 ROP and 2 eyes (7.4%) had stage 2 ROP. In the intravitreal aflibercept group, 14 eyes (58.3%) had stage 3 ROP and 10 eyes (41.7%) had APROP (P < .05). Treatment was established at a postmenstrual age of 37.6 ± 2.5 weeks in the laser photocoagulation group and 34.2 ± 2.4 weeks in the intravitreal aflibercept group (P < .05). The regression rates after treatment were 92.6% and 100%, respectively (P > .05). In the intravitreal aflibercept group, laser photocoagulation was performed on 10 eyes (41.6%) during follow-up visits. Spherical equivalents were measured as +1.10 ± 2.30 and +1.50 ± 2.41 diopters, respectively (P < .05) at the corrected sixth month.

CONCLUSIONS

Intravitreal aflibercept is an effective treatment for ROP. However, it requires more additional treatments than laser photocoagulation during the follow-up visits. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2020;57(1):54-60.].