Certain eye treatment linked to babies disabilities

Emobileclinic Health News

Emobileclinic reporter: Dr. Tomi Orungbe

A study associates some disabilities such as cerebral palsy, hearing loss in premature babies to an eye treatment drugs. According to the lead author Graham Quinn; from Children’s hospital of Philadelphia, their study shows an association and not a cause. They realized that Avastin also known as bevacizumab is a risk factor to disabilities in premature babies.

The use of Avastin in premature babies has been very rampant since its discovery as alternative treatment for retinopathy of prematurity- ROP. This is a disease which affects the normal development of the retina and could result to partial or total blindness in premature babies of 31 weeks and below. The major treatment for ROP is laser surgery. Avastin was not approved for ROP treatment right from time by U.S Food and Drugs Administration, it sole approved function was for treatment of cancer, but medical practitioners result to its use because various studies concluded that it has good side effect- like treatment for ROP. Since its discovery, Avastin becomes handy treatment and is very effective.

The researcher however said there study was just an observation or link and not accusing Avastin to be responsible for this damage. Of the 27 kids with ROP who got the treatment option of Avastin, 52% developed several disabilities by 18 months. This result was very high when compared with the children that were treated with laser surgery. Of the 98 babies which undergone laser surgery, 29% had several disabilities. According to the researchers ‘the avastin kids were sicker on arrival and had more severe ROP-both of which have been associated with poorer developmental outcome’

One risk weighs more so I think parents have the choice to discuss treatment options with their doctors