Comparison of the effectiveness of conbercept and ranibizumab treatment for retinopathy of prematurity

PURPOSE: To compare the effectiveness of intravitreal conbercept and ranibizumab treatment for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). METHODS: In this retrospective study, the date of patients with ROP treated with intravitreal conbercept or ranibizumab from July 2012 to March 2018 with at least 12 months of follow-up at the Eye Center in People's Hospital of Peking University were analysed. Regression, progression or recurrence and peripheral retina vascularization were evaluated. RESULTS: In total, 283 eyes (145 infants) with conbercept treatment and 916 eyes (480 infants) with ranibizumab treatment were enrolled. In zone I ROP and aggressive posterior ROP (APROP), the recurrence prevalence was 49.09% (108/220 eyes) and 28.57% (10/33 eyes), and the recurrence interval was 7.87 ± 0.65 (5.5-9.5) weeks and 10.6 ± 1.53 (10.5-13) weeks in the ranibizumab and conbercept groups, respectively. In zone II ROP disease, the recurrence prevalence was 23.56% (164/696 eyes) and 13.31% (33/248 eyes), and the interval of recurrence was 8.40 ± 0.88 (6-10.5) weeks and 11.4 ± 1.35 (11-13.5) weeks in the ranibizumab and conbercept groups, respectively. The recurrence prevalence was significantly higher with ranibizumab in Zone I ROP and APROP (p = 0.006) and Zone II ROP (p < 0.001), and the recurrence interval was significantly longer in the conbercept group than that in the ranibizumab (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the rate of retinal vascularization (p = 0.441). CONCLUSION: Conbercept and ranibizumab are effective for treating ROP. Compared with ranibizumab, conbercept resulted in less recurrence and longer treatment intervals.