Research Article - Journal of Clinical Ophthalmology (2020) Volume 4, Issue 2

Aqueous humor vascular endothelial growth factor concentration before and after intravitreal injection of Bevacizumab for diabetic retinopathy

Aim: To study the concentration of aqueous humor vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) before and after intravitreal injection of Bevacizumab in eyes with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and correlate this with area of retinal ischemia and neovascularization.

Methods: In this prospective, interventional case series; 1.25 mg of Bevacizumab was injected into the vitreous cavity in 48 PDR eyes of 29 consecutive patients. Aqueous humor samples were obtained before intravitreal Bevacizumab injection and 1 week after, or before starting cataract surgery in the controls. The controls were 15 consecutive non-diabetic patients undergoing cataract surgery (15 eyes).

Results: Aqueous VEGF level was higher in eyes with PDR than in control eyes (474.2 ± 361.3 vs. 120.65 ± 45.05 pg/mL) and this level reduced to 16.96 ± 18.1 pg/ mL 1 week after Bevacizumab injection (p<0.001). There was significant correlation between aqueous VEGF level and retinal ischemia-neovascularization area. No correlation between aqueous VEGF level and clinical markers such as blood glucose levels, HbA1C lever and duration of diabetes.

Conclusion: VEGF levels correlate with the area of retinal ischemia and presence of neovascularization.

Author(s): Nguyen Tuan Thanh Hao, Vu Tuan Anh, Dao Ngoc Mai, Mai Quoc Tung, Nguyen Thi Phuong, John Grigg, Peter McCluskey, Pham Trong Van

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