Aqueous humour levels of cytokines are correlated to vitreous levels and severity of macular oedema in branch retinal vein occlusion.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether the aqueous levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) are correlated to the vitreous levels of these substances and to the severity of macular oedema in branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).


METHODS
Aqueous and vitreous samples were obtained during cataract and vitreous surgery from 24 patients (24 eyes) with macular oedema in BRVO. The VEGF and IL-6 levels in aqueous humour, vitreous fluid, and plasma were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The degree of retinal ischaemia was evaluated in terms of the area of capillary nonperfusion using the Scion Image. The severity of macular oedema was evaluated using the OCT.


RESULTS
The aqueous level of VEGF was significantly correlated with the vitreous level of VEGF (P<0.0001). Vitreous levels of VEGF and IL-6 were significantly correlated with the nonperfusion area of BRVO (P<0.0001, P=0.0061, respectively), as were the aqueous levels of VEGF and IL-6 (P<0.0001, P=0.0267, respectively). Furthermore, the vitreous levels of VEGF and IL-6 and the aqueous level of VEGF were significantly correlated with the severity of macular oedema of BRVO (P=0.0001, P=0.0331, P=0.0272, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that the aqueous level of VEGF may reflect its vitreous level. Measurement of the aqueous level of VEGF may be clinically useful to indicate the severity of macular oedema with BRVO.
Noma
H
H
Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Minami-ku, Hiroshima, Japan. noma-hide@umin.ac.jp
Funatsu
H
H
Yamasaki
M
M
Tsukamoto
H
H
Mimura
T
T
Sone
T
T
Hirayama
T
T
Tamura
H
H
Yamashita
H
H
Minamoto
A
A
Mishima
H K
HK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000378:metabolism*
D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; D015850:Interleukin-6; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A