title: Effect of laser photocoagulation on plasma levels of VEGF-A, VEGFR-2, and Tie2 in infants with retinopathy of prematurity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the baseline plasma levels of vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (sVEGFR-2) and soluble Tie2 in infants with treatment-requiring retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and to investigate the effect of laser treatment on the plasma levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples were collected from infants with prethreshold type 1 ROP before, 1 day after, and 1 week after confluent laser photocoagulation. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay procedure was used to determine plasma VEGF-A, sVEGFR-2, and sTie2 levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 48 eyes of 30 infants were included. The mean postconceptional age at which laser photocoagulation was performed was 37.5 ± 2.9 weeks. The mean number of laser spots applied to each eye was 1,480 ± 420. Regression of active retinopathy occurred within 1 week of treatment in all cases. Baseline plasma VEGF-A, sVEGFR-2, and sTie2 levels did not differ between unilateral and bilateral and also zone I and zone II disease. A significantly progressive decrease was observed in plasma VEGF-A, sVEGFR-2, and sTie2 levels at 1 day and 1 week after laser photocoagulation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plasma levels of VEGF-A, sVEGFR-2, and sTie2 decreased significantly in our patients after laser treatment; however, because of the variability in the measurements, further studies evaluating the clinical value of these angiogenic factors in patients with treatment-requiring ROP are necessary.
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Zeynep Kamil Maternity and Children's Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. Electronic address: ebruli013@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Ebru
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Yalin Imamoglu
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology Department, Zeynep Kamil Maternity and Children's Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gunay
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Zeynep Kamil Maternity and Children's Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tugba
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gursoy
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology Clinic, Haydarpasa Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Serhat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Imamoglu
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Department, University of Istanbul Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozlem
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Balci Ekmekci
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology Department, Zeynep Kamil Maternity and Children's Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gökhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Celik
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Zeynep Kamil Maternity and Children's Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Guner
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Karatekin
authors.affiliation: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Zeynep Kamil Maternity and Children's Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fahri
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ovali
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D017075:Laser Coagulation / Q000379:methods*; D054023:Lasers, Semiconductor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D042787:Receptor, TIE-2 / Q000097:blood*; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood*; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C000588866:KDR protein, human; D042787:Receptor, TIE-2; D040301:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2