title: Concentration of cytokines in age-related macular degeneration after consecutive intravitreal bevacizumab injection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To evaluate the changes in aqueous humor cytokine levels following consecutive intravitreal bevacizumab (Avastin, Genentech Inc., San Francisco, CA, USA) injections in eyes with choroidal neovascularization (CNV) due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Aqueous humor samples were collected at the time of intravitreal injection of 1.25 mg of bevacizumab every 7.0 (+/-2.0) weeks from ten eyes with AMD for the AMD group and during cataract surgery in nine eyes for the control group. Visual acuity with Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letters and central macular thickness (CMT) using optical coherence tomography were measured before each injection in the AMD group. Aqueous cytokine levels were determined by immunoassay using multi-analyte biochip array technology (Evidence investigator cytokine and growth factor biochip array, RANDOX laboratories Ltd., Crumlin, UK).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the AMD group, mean +/- standard deviation(SD) aqueous VEGF levels decreased from 68.0 +/- 32.1 pg/ml at baseline to 26.3 +/- 19.0 pg/ml after the first injection (p = 0.028) and to 25.2 +/- 12.8 pg/ml after the second injection (p = 0.005). While CMT decreased from 307.7 +/- 102.0 mum to 206.8 +/- 141.5 microm (p = 0.037), ETDRS visual acuity increased from 17.6 +/- 11.7 letters to 22.0 +/- 15.6 letters after three consecutive injections (p = 0.017).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significantly decreased VEGF levels were noted after the first injection of bevacizumab. These levels were maintained after the second injection, which paralleled the change in visual acuity and CMT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, The Institute of Vision Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 250 Seongsanno, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Mi In
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Roh
authors.forename: Su Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Ji Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Jong Baek
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Oh Woong
authors.initials: OW
authors.lastname: Kwon
mesh_terms: 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; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay; D007267:Injections; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019233:Retreatment; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology; D014822:Vitreous Body
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D016207:Cytokines; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab