Vitreous levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 are related to diabetic macular edema.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) or soluble intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (sICAM-1) is related to diabetic macular edema (DME).


METHODS
Retrospective case-control study.


METHODS
Thirty-three patients who had DME and 13 patients with nondiabetic ocular disease (control group).


METHODS
Vitreous fluid samples were obtained at the time of vitreoretinal surgery, and the VEGF and sICAM-1 levels in vitreous fluid and plasma were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


METHODS
Relationship between vitreous levels of VEGF or sICAM-1 and DME.


RESULTS
Vitreous levels of VEGF and sICAM-1 were significantly higher in DME patients than in control patients (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0004, respectively). The vitreous level of VEGF was significantly correlated with that of sICAM-1 (P < 0.0001). Vitreous levels of both VEGF and sICAM-1 were significantly higher in patients with hyperfluorescent DME than in those with minimally fluorescent DME (P = 0.0027 and P = 0.0005, respectively). The vitreous levels of both VEGF and sICAM-1 were significantly correlated with retinal thickness at the central fovea (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0005, respectively)


CONCLUSIONS
We found that both VEGF and sICAM-1 were elevated in the vitreous fluid of patients with hyperfluorescent DME. These results suggest that VEGF and ICAM-1 are related to the increase of vascular permeability in DME patients.
Funatsu
Hideharu
H
Department of Ophthalmology, Diabetes Center, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan. tfunatsu@nifty.com
Yamashita
Hidetoshi
H
Sakata
Kumi
K
Noma
Hidetaka
H
Mimura
Tatsuya
T
Suzuki
Motohiro
M
Eguchi
Shuichiro
S
Hori
Sadao
S
D001813:Blood-Retinal Barrier; D002199:Capillary Permeability; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D014821:Vitrectomy; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000378:metabolism*
C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1