title: Correlation between vascular endothelial growth factor and nonperfused areas in macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in macular edema secondary to branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).
  
  
  METHODS
  Aqueous humor samples were collected from 52 eyes with macular edema secondary to BRVO before intravitreal drug injections and from 62 control eyes with cataract. VEGF was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Fluorescein angiography showed capillary nonperfused areas (NPAs). Macular edema was evaluated by optical coherence tomography as the central retinal thickness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean aqueous VEGF levels in eyes with BRVO and control eyes with cataract were, respectively, 290.5 pg/mL ± 294.9 pg/mL (range 81.9 pg/mL-1567.3 pg/mL) and 118.0 pg/mL ± 50.1 pg/mL (range 24.6 pg/mL-241.1 pg/mL), which differed significantly (P < 0.0001). The mean VEGF level in eyes with BRVO without apparent NPA was 171.4 pg/mL ± 52.5 pg/mL (range 90.9 pg/mL-299.9 pg/mL), which was significantly higher than controls (P = 0.001). VEGF levels were correlated positively with the size of NPA (P = 0.0002) but not with the central retinal thickness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The aqueous VEGF concentration in patients with macular edema secondary to BRVO increased significantly and was correlated significantly with the size of NPA. Aqueous VEGF increased even in eyes without apparent NPA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Otsu, Japan.
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujikawa
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sawada
authors.forename: Taichiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Miyake
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kakinoki
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sawada
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawamura
authors.forename: Masahito
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohji
keywords: aqueous humor; branch retinal vein occlusion; macular edema
references.citation: Ophthalmology. 1998 Mar;105(3):412-6
references.pmid: 9499769
references.citation: Am J Ophthalmol. 2007 Apr;143(4):601-6
references.pmid: 17306753
references.citation: Retina. 2006 Nov-Dec;26(9):1029-33
references.pmid: 17151490
references.citation: Doc Ophthalmol. 1999;97(3-4):229-37
references.pmid: 10896336
references.citation: Trans Am Acad Ophthalmol Otolaryngol. 1974 Mar-Apr;78(2):OP178-92
references.pmid: 4825043
references.citation: Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 1995 Nov;233(11):721-6
references.pmid: 8566831
references.citation: PLoS One. 2009 Dec 04;4(12):e8158
references.pmid: 19997642
references.citation: Am J Ophthalmol. 2005 Aug;140(2):256-61
references.pmid: 16086947
references.citation: N Engl J Med. 1994 Dec 1;331(22):1480-7
references.pmid: 7526212
references.citation: Eye (Lond). 2008 Jan;22(1):42-8
references.pmid: 16826241
references.citation: Trans Am Acad Ophthalmol Otolaryngol. 1974 Mar-Apr;78(2):OP166-77
references.pmid: 4825042
references.citation: Expert Opin Biol Ther. 2005 Jul;5(7):997-1005
references.pmid: 16018743
references.citation: Acta Ophthalmol. 2011 Aug;89(5):459-62
references.pmid: 20102348
references.citation: Retina. 2006 Mar;26(3):279-84
references.pmid: 16508427
references.citation: Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2001 Oct;239(10):729-32
references.pmid: 11760031
references.citation: Acta Ophthalmol Scand. 2001 Oct;79(5):435-40
references.pmid: 11594975
references.citation: Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2000 Mar;41(3):877-9
references.pmid: 10711707
references.citation: Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2006 Mar;244(3):309-15
references.pmid: 16133018
references.citation: Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1999 Oct;40(11):2627-32
references.pmid: 10509659
references.citation: Am J Pathol. 1995 May;146(5):1029-39
references.pmid: 7538264
references.citation: Doc Ophthalmol. 1999;97(3-4):217-28
references.pmid: 10896335