WAIKOLOA, Hawaii — Systemic effects of anti-VEGF in retinopathy of prematurity have not been ruled out, so it may be wise to use bevacizumab in lower doses or switch to agents with less systemic exposure, according to one presenter.
“The BEAT-ROP study demonstrated a beneficial effect for bevacizumab vs. laser in the treatment of zone I, stage 3+ ROP. But one thing I didn’t like was the complete absence of concern about systemic effects,” Robert L. Avery, MD, said at Retina 2022.
Because VEGF plays an important role in neurogenesis and organogenesis in preterm newborns,