Evaluating The Causes Of Retinopathy Of Prematurity Relapse Following Intravitreal Bevacizumab Injection

Abstract

Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a proliferative disorder of the developing retina. Intravitreal bevacizumab injection is an emerging treatment for ROP is one of the treatments for ROP has many benefits. Purpose: The present study aimed to determine and evaluate the causes of retinopathy of prematurity relapse following intravitreal bevacizumab injection. Materials and method: In this cross-sectional study, 392 treated eyes with IVR (328 eyes with complete remission; 64 eyes with relapse) were evaluated to study risk factors of recurrent retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Follow-up time was 1 year after IVR. Results: Recurrence of ROP occurred in 16.7 % (64 eyes) of 392 eyes. The significant studied risk factors for ROP recurrences were lower mean birthweight (P value= 0.03), lower mean gestational age (P value= 0.04), higher frequency of oxygen requirement (P value< 0.001), higher means of oxygen therapy duration (P value< 0.001), type of nutrition (P value= 0.04), zone I (87.5 % vs. 56.5 %, P value=0.02), lower mean of age at IVB injection time (P value= 0.001). Out of 64 treated eyes with relapse, in 6 eyes Macula dragging occurred and 4 eyes developed stage4 and 5 ROP in 2020.