title: Serum concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor after bilateral intravitreal injection of bevacizumab.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study compared serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentration between patients given the bilateral and unilateral intravitreal injections of bevacizumab.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective manner, serum VEGF levels in treatment-naive patients with age-related macular degeneration who underwent bilateral or unilateral intravitreal injections of bevacizumab were investigated. After informed consent, peripheral blood was collected from in patients who underwent bilateral or unilateral intravitreal injection of bevacizumab before and 1 month after the injection. Serum VEGF levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay after centrifugation. In addition, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central retinal thickness (CRT) before and 1 month after the injection were compared between each group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty patients received bilateral injections (40 eyes) and 20 patients received unilateral injections. The VEGF concentrations (pg/mL) before the bilateral injection were 235.75 ± 183.16 and 252.53 ± 233.52 for the unilateral injection. They were significantly reduced to 153.88 ± 113.26 and 189.42 ± 251.72 after 1 month, respectively (p = 0.037 and 0.019), which are showing no significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.771). And there were no significant intergroup difference in pre- and postoperative BCVA and CRT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The bilateral simultaneous intravitreal injection of bevacizumab did not differ greatly from unilateral intravitreal injection in the influence on serum VEGF levels and the therapeutic outcome.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Donghyun
authors: D
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Kyung Seek
authors: KS
authors: Choi
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors: Sung Jin
authors: SJ
authors: Lee
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008266:Macula Lutea / Q000473:pathology*; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D041622:Tomography, Optical; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000097:blood*; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab
keywords: Bevacizumab; Intravitreal injections; Vascular endothelial growth factor