Vascular endothelial growth factor in fellow eyes of eyes injected with intravitreal bevacizumab.
BACKGROUND
To study the effect on untreated fellow eyes of eyes treated with an intravitreal injection of bevacizumab.


METHODS
Bevacizumab (1.25 mg/0.05 ml) was injected into the vitreous cavity of one eye (the first eye) as a preoperative adjunctive therapy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy; vitrectomy was performed 1 week later. Immediately after vitrectomy, bevacizumab (1.25 mg/0.05 ml) was injected into the fellow eye (the second eye) followed by vitrectomy 1 week later. Aqueous humor samples were obtained from both eyes in five cases just before intravitreal injection of bevacizumab and just before vitrectomy 1 week later. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentrations in the aqueous humor were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).


RESULTS
VEGF concentrations in the aqueous humor of the first eyes ranged from 146 to 398 pg/ml (mean, 302+/-100 pg/ml) before intravitreal injection of bevacizumab; 1 week later, the VEGF concentrations in the injected eyes were less than 31 pg/ml, the lower limit of the ELISA, in all cases (p<0.001). The concentrations in the uninjected fellow eyes ranged from 181 to 551 pg/ml (mean, 382+/-119 pg/ml).


CONCLUSIONS
There seemed to be no or a minimal effect of the intravitreal injections of bevacizumab on the uninjected fellow eyes.
Sawada
Osamu
O
Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta Tukinowacho, Otsu, Shiga 520-2192, Japan, osawada@belle.shiga-med.ac.jp
Kawamura
Hajime
H
Kakinoki
Masashi
M
Ohji
Masahito
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000378:metabolism*; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D014822:Vitreous Body
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab