title: Changes in foveal thickness after vitrectomy for macular edema with branch retinal vein occlusion and intravitreal vascular endothelial growth factor.
abstract: Purpose To examine the outcome of vitrectomy for macular edema associated with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) and determine the relationship between the severity of macular edema and the concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the vitreous fluid. Design Prospective observational case series. Patients and Methods Thirty-four consecutive patients (34 eyes) with macular edema associated with BRVO underwent vitrectomy. Retinal thickness was examined using optical coherence tomography. VEGF and IL-6 levels in the vitreous fluid were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The patients were followed for 6 months and longer after surgery. Results Visual acuity and the retinal thickness at 6 months after operation were significantly improved (P = 0.0042 and P < 0.0001, respectively). There was a significant positive correlation between the vitreous levels of VEGF and improved level of the severity of macular edema. The vitreous levels of VEGF were significantly higher in patients who showed greater improvement in the severity of macular edema (r = 0.4277, P = 0.0116). The vitreous levels of IL-6 were not significantly correlated with improvement in the severity of macular edema (r = 0.1996, P = 0.2578). Conclusion Vitrectomy appears effective for treatment of macular edema with BRVO. A higher VEGF level in the vitreous fluid may be associated with greater improvement of macular edema with BRVO.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan. earth-yama@umin.net
authors.forename: Makiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yamasaki
authors.forename: Hidetaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Noma
authors.forename: Hideharu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Funatsu
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Minamoto
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mimura
authors.forename: Katsunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.forename: Hidetoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kiuchi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005584:Fovea Centralis / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015356:Retinal Artery Occlusion / Q000150:complications*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014821:Vitrectomy; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015850:Interleukin-6; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
references.citation: Am J Ophthalmol. 1984 Sep 15;98(3):271-82
references.pmid: 6383055
references.citation: Trans Am Acad Ophthalmol Otolaryngol. 1974 Mar-Apr;78(2):OP178-92
references.pmid: 4825043
references.citation: Science. 1983 Feb 25;219(4587):983-5
references.pmid: 6823562
references.citation: Am J Ophthalmol. 1999 Jun;127(6):688-93
references.pmid: 10372879
references.citation: Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2001 Oct;239(10):729-32
references.pmid: 11760031
references.citation: Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2000 Mar;41(3):877-9
references.pmid: 10711707
references.citation: Doc Ophthalmol. 1999;97(3-4):465-9
references.pmid: 10896365
references.citation: Am J Ophthalmol. 2000 Apr;129(4):487-94
references.pmid: 10764858
references.citation: Ophthalmology. 1996 Nov;103(11):1820-8
references.pmid: 8942877
references.citation: J Biol Chem. 1996 Jan 12;271(2):736-41
references.pmid: 8557680
references.citation: Ophthalmology. 2003 Sep;110(9):1690-6
references.pmid: 13129863
references.citation: Endocrinology. 1992 Aug;131(2):710-4
references.pmid: 1639018
references.citation: Trans Am Acad Ophthalmol Otolaryngol. 1974 Mar-Apr;78(2):OP166-77
references.pmid: 4825042
references.citation: Arch Ophthalmol. 1986 Jan;104(1):34-41
references.pmid: 2417579
references.citation: Ophthalmology. 2001 Feb;108(2):372-6
references.pmid: 11158815
references.citation: Am J Ophthalmol. 2002 Jan;133(1):70-7
references.pmid: 11755841
references.citation: Am J Ophthalmol. 2005 Aug;140(2):256-61
references.pmid: 16086947
references.citation: Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2006 Mar;244(3):309-15
references.pmid: 16133018
references.citation: Surv Ophthalmol. 2004 Sep-Oct;49(5):470-90
references.pmid: 15325193
references.citation: Glia. 1998 Oct;24(2):216-25
references.pmid: 9728767
references.citation: Am J Ophthalmol. 1985 Feb 15;99(2):218-9
references.pmid: 4038586