title: Aqueous levels of erythropoietin in acute retinal vein occlusion with macular edema.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the aqueous erythropoietin (EPO) levels and associated factors in patients with acute retinal vein occlusion (RVO).
  
  
  METHODS
  The aqueous EPO level was measured in patients with macular edema (ME) secondary to acute branched retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) or central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO). Aqueous fluid from cataract patients served as the control. We also evaluated whether aqueous level of EPO was associated with factors such as serum EPO level, non-perfusion area, central macular thickness (CMT), and arterio-venous (AV) transit time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-seven RVO patients (16 BRVO, 11 CRVO) and 9 control subjects were enrolled in the study. The aqueous EPO level (mU/mL) was higher in RVO (68.2±54.3) than that in the control subjects (12.9±5.9). More specifically, the aqueous EPO level was higher in CRVO (118.9±52.1) than that in BRVO (33.3±10.8). However, no differences were found in serum EPO levels among three groups. CMT in RVO patients had a positive correlation with the aqueous EPO level (r=0.66). Also, in terms of non-perfusion area, the aqueous EPO levels were more elevated in the ischemic subgroup than in the non-ischemic subgroup in both BRVO and CRVO.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aqueous EPO levels are elevated in patients with macular edema secondary to recent onset RVO. Patients with CRVO have higher EPO levels than those with BRVO. The aqueous EPO level in RVO has a positive correlation with CMT and is associated with non-perfusion area. These results suggest that the aqueous EPO level could be associated with retinal ischemia and may be involved in the pathogenesis of macular edema secondary to RVO.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Konkuk University Medical Center, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 143-729, Korea.
authors: Hyun Jin
authors: HJ
authors: Shin
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Konkuk University Medical Center, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 143-729, Korea.
authors: Hyung Chan
authors: HC
authors: Kim
authors: Gongdeok Seoul Eye Clinic, Seoul 121-706, Korea.
authors: Jun Woong
authors: JW
authors: Moon
keywords: acute retinal vein occlusion; aqueous level of erythropoietin; macular edema; retinal ischemia