Relationship between refractive outcomes and quantitative retinal vascularization and severity of plus disease in eyes treated with intravitreal bevacizumab

ABSTRACT

Purpose: The study aimed to investigate the relationship between refractive outcomes with the extent of retinal vascularization and severity of the plus disease in infants treated with intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB). Methods: Pre?IVB fundus images (PFIs), final fundus images (FFIs), and refractive outcomes of the 93 infants who underwent IVB monotherapy for type 1 and aggressive retinopathy of prematurity (A?ROP) were retrospectively evaluated. Quantitative measurements were performed on PFIs and FFIs. Pre?IVB plus severity was scored on a five?leveled scale. Correlation between spherical equivalent (SE) with pre?treatment and final extent of the temporal retinal vascularization and pre?treatment severity of plus disease was analyzed. Results: There was a linear and low positive correlation between the extent of pre?IVB and final temporal retinal vascularization with final SE (p = 0.000, r = 0.267; P = 0.002, r = 0.274, respectively). There was a low negative correlation between the pre?IVB plus severity score with final SE (p = 0.012, r = ?0.192). Gestational age (GA), birth weight (BW), IVB dose, presence of additional IVB, or laser treatments were not correlated with refractive outcome. Out of 171 eyes, 38 eyes had >1 D myopia. In the univariate logistic analyses, pre?IVB retinal zone and pre?IVB and final extent of the temporal retinal vascularization were found to be related to the development of >1 D myopia (p = 0.002, odds ratio (OR) = 0.298; P = 0.000, OR = 0.281; P = 0.001, OR = 0.317; respectively). Conclusion: Our study indicates that the pre?treatment and final extent of retinal vascularization were the main parameters that were related to final refractive outcomes in IVB?treated eyes for type 1 and A?ROP.