title: Serum and plasma vascular endothelial growth factor concentrations before and after intravitreal injection of aflibercept or ranibizumab for age-related macular degeneration.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate serum and plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentrations in neovascular age-related macular degeneration patients treated bimonthly with an intravitreal injection of aflibercept or ranibizumab.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, interventional case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study includes 17 eyes of 17 patients treated with 2 mg aflibercept (the aflibercept group), 15 eyes of 15 patients treated with 0.5 mg ranibizumab (the ranibizumab group), and 12 patients with cataract (the control group). Serum and plasma VEGF concentrations were quantified using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, mean serum VEGF concentration (in picograms per milliliter) did not differ significantly among the 3 groups (P = .99). In the aflibercept group, it was 28.3 pg/mL at baseline, decreased to below the detectable limit at 1 week (P < .0001), increased to 11.7 pg/mL at 1 month, which was still significantly less than the baseline level (P < .001), and returned to 23.9 pg/mL (P = .35) at 2 months. In the ranibizumab group, there were no significant differences. At baseline, mean plasma VEGF concentration did not differ significantly among the 3 groups (P = .64). In the aflibercept group, it was 16.2 at baseline, decreased to less than the detectable limit at 1 week (P < .01) and at 1 month (P < .05), and returned to 13.6 pg/mL at 2 months (P = .73). In the ranibizumab group, there were no significant differences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aflibercept significantly decreased serum and plasma VEGF concentrations 1 month after injection; however, ranibizumab had no significant effect on either serum or plasma VEGF level.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Shiga, Japan; Key Laboratory of Harbin Medical University Eye Center, Eye Hospital, First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, P.R. China.
authors: Xiying
authors: X
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Shiga, Japan. Electronic address: tsawada@belle.shiga-med.ac.jp.
authors: Tomoko
authors: T
authors: Sawada
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Shiga, Japan.
authors: Osamu
authors: O
authors: Sawada
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Shiga, Japan.
authors: Yoshitsugu
authors: Y
authors: Saishin
authors: Key Laboratory of Harbin Medical University Eye Center, Eye Hospital, First Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, P.R. China.
authors: Ping
authors: P
authors: Liu
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Shiga, Japan.
authors: Masahito
authors: M
authors: Ohji
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000069579:Ranibizumab; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000097:blood*; D014792:Visual Acuity; D057135:Wet Macular Degeneration / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C533178:aflibercept; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; D000069579:Ranibizumab