COMPARISON OF INTRAVITREAL INJECTION OF RANIBIZUMAB VERSUS LASER THERAPY FOR ZONE II TREATMENT-REQUIRING RETINOPATHY OF PREMATURITY.

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy of intravitreal injection of ranibizumab (IVR) monotherapy and laser therapy for treatment-requiring retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in Zone II. METHODS: A prospective, randomized, controlled single-center trial was applied from January 2014 to December 2014; infants who were diagnosed as Zone II treatment-requiring ROP (i.e., Zone II Stage 2 or 3 ROP with plus disease) were randomly assigned to receive IVR monotherapy or laser therapy, and the follow-up interval was at least 6 months. Any eyes that developed recurrence of ROP underwent crossover re-treatment. RESULTS: A total of 100 eyes of 50 ethnic Han Chinese infants were enrolled. At the last follow-up, 26 eyes of 13 infants developed recurrence of ROP in the IVR group and 2 eyes of 1 infant developed recurrence of ROP in the laser therapy group. There was a significant statistical difference in the rate of ROP recurrence between IVR and laser therapy to treat Zone II treatment-requiring ROP (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Although IVR appears to regress ROP to certain levels and continue to promote the vascularization of peripheral retinal vessels, a substantial proportion of infants developed recurrence of ROP after a single-dose IVR. Therefore, IVR is not recommended as a single-dose monotherapy for Zone II treatment-requiring ROP.

[Membrane peeling combined with intravitreal injection of bevacizumab for treatment of macular epiretinal membrane: analysis of 33 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To assess efficacy of membrane peeling combined with intravitreal injection of bevacizumab in the treatment of macular epiretinal membrane. METHODS: From January, 2012 to June, 2013, 33 patients (33 eyes) with the diagnosis of macular epiretinal membrane underwent vitreous surgery and membrane peeling. The patients were randomly divided into intravitreal bevacizumab group (IVB group) and non-intravitreal bevacizumab group (non-IVB group). All the patients underwent standard three-port vitrectomy and peeling of epiretinal membrane, with intravitreal injection of 1.5 mg bevacizumab at the end of operation in IVB group. The best corrected visual acuity and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were examined before and after the treatment. The patients were followed up for 3-14 months (mean 6.5 months). RESULTS: Macular epiretinal membranes were successfully peeled during operation in all the patients without postoperative intraocular infection or bleeding. Fifteen eyes received vitrectomy combined with intravitreal injection of bevacizumab, and 18 underwent only vitreous operation and membrane peeling. At the end of the follow up, the visual acuity improved in 11 eyes (73.3%) in IVB group, as compared to 13 eyes (72.2%) in the non-IVB group (P=0.627). Central macular thickness decreased by 143∓62 µm in IVB group and by 96∓28 µm in non-IVB group, showing a significant difference between the two groups (t=5.564, P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Vitrectomy and membrane peeling combined with intravitreal injection of bevacizumab can promote the recovery of macular morphology but not visual function, and its clinical use still needs to be tested in a long-term and large-sample randomized controlled study.