Effect of attenuated-dose aflibercept intravitreal injection on retinopathy of prematurity

Objective

To observe the effect of attenuated-dose aflibercept in the treatment of retinopathy of prematurity(ROP).

Methods

A non-randomized controlled study was conducted, and 76 eyes of 38 ROP pediatric patients treated in First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from December 2018 to May 2020 were enrolled.According to the requirements of their guardians, the patients were divided into ranibizumab group with 42 eyes of 21 cases and attenuated-dose aflibercept group with 34 eyes of 17 cases, and received intravitreal injection of ranibizumab 0.025 ml (0.25 mg) or aflibercept 0.012 5 ml (0.5 mg) according to grouping respectively.Retcam fundus photography was used to observe the treatment response at 1 week, 2, 4 weeks and 2, 3, and 6 months after treatment, and the effective rate at the end of follow-up was calculated.The intraocular pressure was measured with Icare PRO magnetic rebound tonometer at 1 minute, 10, and 30 minutes after injection. The ocular and systemic complications were observed during the 6-month follow-up period.All the guardians signed the informed consent prior to treatment.This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University (No.2020-KY-228).

Results

The effective rates of single ranibizumab and attenuated-dose aflibercept were 90.5% (38/42) and 88.2% (30/34), respectively, with no significant difference between the two groups (χ²=0.10, P=0.75). The intraocular pressure of the ranibizumab group at 1 minute and 10 minutes after the operation were higher than those of the attenuated-dose aflibercept group, and the difference was statistically significant (both at P<0.01). The intraocular pressure recovered to the baseline level at 30 minutes after the operation.In the ranibizumab group, 4 eyes were ineffective after a single injection, among which 2 eyes were effective after second intravitreal injection of ranibizumab and 1 eye was effective after retinal laser photocoagulation treatment and 1 eye underwent vitrectomy due to the progress of retinal detachment one week after intravitreal injection, and the posterior retina reattached well.In the attenuated-dose aflibercept group, 4 eyes did not respond to treatment, of which 3 eyes were effective after second intravitreal injection of aflibercept, and 1 eye was effective after retinal laser photocoagulation.No ocular or systemic complications were observed during the followed-up period.

Conclusions

Reduced dose of aflibercept is safe and effective in the treatment of ROP, and has little influence on intraocular pressure.