Adjuvant 5-fluorouracil and heparin prevents proliferative vitreoretinopathy
- 1 July 2001
- journal article
- clinical trial
- Published by Elsevier BV in Ophthalmology
- Vol. 108 (7), 1179-1183
- https://doi.org/10.1016/s0161-6420(01)00589-9
Abstract
To assess the safety and efficacy of adjuvant combination therapy using 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) for prevention of proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) after vitrectomy and retinal reattachment surgery. Prospective randomized, double-masked, placebo controlled trial. One hundred seventy-four high-risk patients were randomized to receive either 5-FU and LMWH therapy or placebo. Patients were selected from all patients undergoing primary vitrectomy for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. Results of standard surgery with 5-FU and LMWH therapy or placebo were compared at the 6-month follow-up. Development of postoperative PVR, retinal reattachment at 6 months after surgery, single operation reattachment rate, number of reoperations, and best-corrected visual acuity. There were 87 patients in the 5-FU and LMWH therapy group and 87 in the placebo group. The incidence of postoperative PVR was significantly lower (P = 0.02) in the 5-FU and LMWH therapy compared with the placebo group. In 26.4% (23/87) of the placebo group and in 12.6% (11/87) of the 5-FU and LMWH group, postoperative PVR developed. In the 5-FU and LMWH group, the number of patients undergoing more than one operation was 19.5% (17/87) and the number of reoperations resulting from PVR was 52.9% (9/17). In the placebo group, the number of patients undergoing more than one operation was 25.3% (22/87) and the number of reoperations resulting from PVR was 72.7% (16/22). The difference in visual acuity was not statistically different in the two treatment groups, although those patients in whom postoperative PVR developed tended to have poorer vision (P < 0.0001). There were no differences in complication rates between the two groups. There is a significant reduction in the incidence of postoperative PVR in patients receiving the 5-FU and LMWH therapy and in the reoperation rate resulting from PVR. This trial shows that incidence of PVR can be reduced with inexpensive and simple pharmacologic treatment with 5-FU and LMWH and should be used routinely in the treatment of patients at risk of developing PVR.Keywords
This publication has 27 references indexed in Scilit:
- The Effect of Oral 13-cis-retinoic Acid on Retinal Redetachment after Surgical Repair in Eyes with Proliferative VitreoretinopathyOphthalmology, 1995
- Corticosteroids and daunomycin in the prevention of experimental proliferative vitreoretionopathy induced by macrophagesAlbrecht von Graefes Archiv für Ophthalmologie, 1993
- Cytokines in proliferative vitreoretinopathyEye, 1991
- Proliferative vitreoretinopathy ? is it anything more than wound healing at the wrong place?International Ophthalmology, 1990
- Oral Colchicine for the Treatment of Experimental Traction Retinal DetachmentAmerican Journal of Ophthalmology, 1986
- The Classification of Retinal Detachment with Proliferative VitreoretinopathyOphthalmology, 1983
- ANTIPROLIFERATIVE DRUGS IN THE TREATMENT OF EXPERIMENTAL PROLIFERATIVE VITREORETINOPATHYRetina, 1983
- Glucocorticosteroid Inhibition of Intraocular Proliferation After InjuryAmerican Journal of Ophthalmology, 1981
- Inhibition of Intraocular Proliferations with Intravitreal CorticosteriodsAmerican Journal of Ophthalmology, 1980
- Changing Concepts of Failures After Retinal Detachment SurgeryAmerican Journal of Ophthalmology, 1979