1. Prethreshold retinopathy of prematurity: VEGF inhibition without VEGF inhibitors
- Author
-
David K. Stevenson, Michael W. Gaynon, Philip Sunshine, and Ronald J. Wong
- Subjects
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Time Factors ,genetic structures ,Supplemental oxygen ,VEGF receptors ,Nutritional Status ,Blindness ,03 medical and health sciences ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,0302 clinical medicine ,Oxygen Consumption ,030225 pediatrics ,Ophthalmology ,Medicine ,Humans ,Retinopathy of Prematurity ,biology ,business.industry ,Adaptation, Ocular ,Infant, Newborn ,Oxygen Inhalation Therapy ,Obstetrics and Gynecology ,Infant ,Retinopathy of prematurity ,Retinal ,Anemia ,Hypoxia (medical) ,medicine.disease ,eye diseases ,Vascular endothelial growth factor ,Plus disease ,Oxygen ,Rod Photoreceptors ,chemistry ,Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health ,030221 ophthalmology & optometry ,biology.protein ,sense organs ,medicine.symptom ,business - Abstract
The risk of developing treatment-warranted Type 1 retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) might be reduced in preterm infants by modifying certain systemic factors. There are steps that can be taken both early and late in the course of retinal vascular maturation that may potentially reduce an infant's risk of developing Type 1 ROP. In prethreshold stage 2-3 ROP without plus disease, a combination of supplemental oxygen, correction of severe anemia, and light adaptation to reduce rod photoreceptor oxygen consumption helped us to reduce ROP severity, and encouraged a return to a more physiologic retinal vascular maturation pattern. Thus, it may be possible to reduce the risk of developing Type 1 ROP by making adjustments in certain systemic parameters aimed at reducing retinal hypoxia, thereby gently lowering pathologically elevated levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) within the eye.
- Published
- 2018