Intravitreal injection of ranibizumab for treatment of age-related macular degeneration: effects on serum VEGF concentration.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate potential adverse ranibizumab-related systemic events through analysis of variations in serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients before and after a single intravitreal injection of ranibizumab.


METHODS
Thirty-nine patients with neovascular AMD and 39 healthy control subjects were enrolled in the study. Patients received a single intravitreal injection of ranibizumab (0.5 mg) in one eye. Venous blood was collected and placed in coagulation-promoting tubes 1 day before and on post-injection days 1, 3, 7 and 30. Serum concentrations of VEGF were measured by ELISA at each time point.


RESULTS
VEGF concentrations were 323.64 pg/ml in AMD patients and 392.94 pg/ml in control subjects before injection (p > 0.05). VEGF significantly decreased to 304.65 pg/ml 1 day later (p < 0.05) in AMD patients, then increased to 310.77 (p > 0.05), 317.89 (p > 0.05) and 311.79 pg/ml (p > 0.05) on post-injection days 3, 7 and 30, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
No significant changes in serum levels of VEGF were found from 3 to 30 days following a single intravitreal ranibizumab injection. Although certain influences existed 24-h post-injection, effect(s) of a single intravitreal ranibizumab injection on the homeostasis of the cardiovascular system during such a brief period is unknown.
Department of Ophthalmology, Beijing Hospital of the Ministry of Health , Beijing , China.
Xiaoya
X
Gu
Xiaobing
X
Yu
Hong
H
Dai
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000069579:Ranibizumab; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000069579:Ranibizumab