Plasma levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and pigment epithelium-derived factor before and after intravitreal injection of bevacizumab

• Published in: British journal of ophthalmology Vol. 94; no. 9; pp. 1215 - 1218
• Main Authors: Matsuyama, K, Ogata, N, Matsuoka, M, Wada, M, Takahashi, K, Nishimura, T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMA House, Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9JR BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 01.09.2010; BMJ Publishing Group; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Angiogenesis; Angiogenesis Inhibitors - administration & dosage; Antibodies, Monoclonal - administration & dosage; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; Bevacizumab; Bevacizumab (Avastin); Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - blood; Diabetic retinopathy; Diabetic Retinopathy - blood; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; experimental and laboratory; Eye Proteins - blood; Female; Humans; Injections, Intralesional; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; neovascularisation; Nerve Growth Factors - blood; Off-Label Use; Ophthalmology; pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF); Plasma; Retina; Serpins - blood; Studies; Vascular endothelial growth factor; vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF); Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - blood; Vitreoretinopathy, Proliferative - blood; California; Antineoplastic agent; Immunomodulator; Vascular endothelium growth factor; Vitreous body; Monoclonal antibody; Pigment epithelium-derived factor; Injection; Ophthalmology; Antiangiogenic agent; Bevacizumab; Blood plasma
• ISSN: 0007-1161; 1468-2079
• DOI: 10.1136/bjo.2008.156810

AimsTo determine the level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) in the plasma of patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy before and after an intravitreal injection of bevacizumab.MethodsEleven patients with type 2 diabetes and control of 30 non-diabetic patients were studied. The 11 eyes of 11 patients received an injection of bevacizumab (1.25 mg). Samples of blood were collected just before the injection, and after 1 day, 7 days and 1 month. The concentrations of VEGF and PEDF in the plasma were measured by ELISA.ResultsThe VEGF concentration before the injection was 114.0 pg/ml. It was significantly reduced to 9.7 pg/ml after 1 day, to 11.7 pg/ml after 7 days and to 25.9 pg/ml even after 1 month (p<0.001, p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively). The PEDF concentration before the injection was 7.2 μg/ml. It was significantly reduced to 5.8 μg/ml after 1 day, to 5.8 μg/ml after 7 days and to 6.3 μg/ml after 1 month (p<0.001, p<0.001, p>0.05, respectively).ConclusionsThe decreased levels of blood VEGF after an intravitreal injection of bevacizumab indicate that bevacizumab enters the general circulation and may also affect the PEDF levels. Thus, we should carefully examine patients for systemic changes and the fellow eye after an intravitreal injection of bevacizumab.