Increase of vascular endothelial growth factor and interleukin-6 in the aqueous humour of patients with macular oedema and central retinal vein occlusion.
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to investigate whether vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) or interleukin-6 (IL-6) influence macular oedema in patients with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO).


METHODS
Sixteen consecutive patients with unilateral CRVO and macular oedema were studied, along with eight age- and sex-matched patients without ischaemic ocular disease. Retinal ischaemia was evaluated from capillary non-perfusion on fluorescein angiography. Macular oedema was examined by optical coherence tomography. Aqueous humour (AH) samples were obtained during combined pars plana vitrectomy and cataract surgery, and were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.


RESULTS
Aqueous levels of VEGF and IL-6 were significantly elevated in patients compared with controls (p=0.0142 and p<0.0001, respectively). Aqueous levels of both molecules were significantly higher in patients with ischaemia than in those without ischaemia (p=0.0026 and p=0.0487, respectively). Furthermore, AH levels of VEGF and IL-6 were correlated with the severity of macular oedema (ρ=0.7265, p=0.0049, ρ=0.5324, and p=0.0392, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Both VEGF and IL-6 were elevated in the AH of patients with macular oedema and ischaemic CRVO, suggesting that these molecules may be related to the increase in vascular permeability in such patients.
Noma
Hidetaka
H
Department of Ophthalmology, Yachiyo Medical Centre, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Chiba, Japan. nomahide@tymc.twmu.ac.jp
Funatsu
Hideharu
H
Mimura
Tatsuya
T
Harino
Seiyo
S
Sone
Takashi
T
Hori
Sadao
S
D000368:Aged; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002387:Cataract Extraction; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*; D014792:Visual Acuity; D014821:Vitrectomy
C508600:IL6 protein, human; D015850:Interleukin-6; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A