Purpose: To evaluate safety and clinical results of intravitreal antiangiogenic agents for choroidal neovascularization in pediatric patients.
Methods: Retrospective, multicenter, interventional case series. A total of 45 eyes of 39 pediatric patients with choroidal neovascularization of various etiologies were treated with intravitreal injection of antiangiogenic agents (1.25 mg per 0.05 mL of bevacizumab or 0.5 mg per 0.05 mL of ranibizumab).
Results: There were 24 girls and 15 boys with group median age of 13 years (range, 3-17 years). Mean follow-up period was 12.8 months (range, 3-60 months). Median visual acuity in terms of logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution at presentation and last follow-up was 0.87 and 0.7, respectively (P = 0.0003). Mean and median number of injections received over the follow-up period was 2.2 and 1, respectively. At the last follow-up, 22 eyes (48%) gained more than 3 lines of vision and 27 eyes (60%) had final visual acuity 20/50 or better. Nine eyes (20%) did not improve and had severe vision loss (20/200 or worse).
Conclusion: Intravitreal antiangiogenic therapy for choroidal neovascularization in pediatric patients seems temporarily safe and effective in majority of affected eyes. Because of the rarity and character of this condition, it is unlikely that any clinical trials will soon take place to study this or other treatment option.