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Oral propranolol in early stages of retinopathy of prematurity

Aldo Bancalari, Ricardo Schade, Tomás Muñoz

    Journal of Perinatal Medicine
    |February 5, 2016
    PubMed

    Insights

    Oral propranolol effectively treats early retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in premature infants, preventing disease progression and reducing the need for laser or bevacizumab interventions without significant side effects.

    Area of Science:

    • Neonatal ophthalmology
    • Pharmacology
    • Perinatal medicine

    Background:

    • Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a leading cause of visual impairment in premature infants.
    • Early-stage ROP (stages 2-3, zones II-III) requires effective management to prevent severe visual outcomes.
    • Current treatments may involve invasive procedures with potential complications.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To evaluate the efficacy and safety of oral propranolol for treating early-stage retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants.
    • To determine if propranolol can prevent ROP progression and decrease the need for rescue therapies.

    Main Methods:

    • A cohort of VLBW infants with ROP stages 2-3, zones II-III received oral propranolol (0.5 mg/kg/dose q8h).
    • Treatment continued until ROP regression, with monitoring for side effects.
    • A historic control group with similar ROP characteristics was used for comparison.

    Main Results:

    • 90% of infants treated with propranolol avoided laser or bevacizumab intervention, compared to 51.8% in the control group (P<0.005).
    • No significant differences in gestational age, birth weight, or gender were observed between groups.
    • No adverse events such as bradycardia, hypotension, or hypoglycemia were reported during propranolol treatment.

    Conclusions:

    • Oral propranolol demonstrates potential in preventing the progression of early-stage ROP in VLBW infants.
    • Propranolol treatment significantly reduced the requirement for invasive rescue therapies like laser or bevacizumab.
    • The treatment was well-tolerated, with no significant side effects observed.
    Abstract

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