Department of Ophthalmology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA.
Ophthalmic Res. 2022;65(2):229-236. doi: 10.1159/000512620. Epub 2020 Oct 28.
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is considered a disease of the inner retina; however, there is increasing evidence that demonstrates choroidal vasculature loss in ROP, leading to degeneration of outer retinal function and visual deterioration. Central choroidal thinning is noted in children with history of ROP using optical coherence tomography imaging. This study characterizes the presence and persistence of choroidal loss angiographically in eyes of infants treated with intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) for stage 3 ROP.
The fluorescein angiography (FA) images of 62 eyes of 31 infants treated with IVB monotherapy were retrospectively reviewed. The eyes with good quality early-, mid-, and late-phase imaging were included in this study. The presence of choroidal hypofluoresence involving the central and or peripheral retina was noted. In infants with multiple FAs, serial FAs were analyzed for persistence of choroidal hypofluorescence.
The mean age and birth weight of infants was 24.4 weeks post-menstrual age and 683 g, respectively. All infants received IVB monotherapy. Twenty-four of 62 angiography images of sufficient quality reviewed showed the presence of choroidal hypofluorescence involving central and peripheral lobular loss in the early phase and its persistence into mid- and late phases. Twelve eyes demonstrated persistent choroidal loss on sequential FA until 3 years chronological age.
The study demonstrates the presence of choroidal vascular loss angiographically both central and peripheral fundus in infants with ROP. It highlights the critical role of choroidal involution in outer retinal function that could affect visual outcomes.
早产儿视网膜病变（ROP）被认为是一种视网膜内层疾病；然而，越来越多的证据表明 ROP 存在脉络膜血管损失，导致外视网膜功能退化和视力恶化。使用光学相干断层扫描成像，在有 ROP 病史的儿童中可以发现中央脉络膜变薄。本研究通过脉络膜血管造影特征描述了接受玻璃体内注射贝伐单抗（IVB）治疗的 3 期 ROP 婴儿眼中脉络膜损失的存在和持续情况。
回顾性分析 31 名接受 IVB 单药治疗的 62 只眼的荧光素血管造影（FA）图像。本研究纳入了具有良好早期、中期和晚期成像质量的眼。注意到涉及中央和/或周边视网膜的脉络膜弱荧光。对于有多张 FA 的婴儿，对系列 FA 进行分析以确定脉络膜弱荧光的持续性。
婴儿的平均胎龄和出生体重分别为 24.4 周和 683 克。所有婴儿均接受 IVB 单药治疗。在 62 张足够质量的血管造影图像中，有 24 张显示在早期阶段存在中央和周边叶状损失的脉络膜弱荧光，并且在中期和晚期阶段持续存在。12 只眼在连续 FA 中表现出持续的脉络膜损失，直到 3 岁时。
该研究表明 ROP 婴儿的脉络膜血管损失在眼底的中央和周边均存在。它强调了脉络膜萎缩在外视网膜功能中的关键作用，这可能会影响视觉结果。
