title: Vascular endothelial growth factor plasma levels before and after treatment of retinopathy of prematurity with ranibizumab.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plasma levels before and after intravitreal injection of ranibizumab in patients with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Case series study. Eleven infants with type 1 pre-threshold ROP were treated with intravitreal ranibizumab 0.5 mg. Blood samples were collected before intravitreal injection of ranibizumab and 1 day, 1 week, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks after injection. Concentration of plasma VEGF was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean ± standard deviation of plasma VEGF concentration of the available samples before and 1 day, 1 week, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks after a total of 0.5 mg ranibizumab injection were 46.07 ± 9.40 pg/ml (n = 11), 10.59 ± 7.32 pg/ml (n = 5), 45.76 ± 6.75 pg/ml (n = 5), 62.44 ± 15.51 pg/ml (n = 5), and 56.82 ± 12.78 pg/ml (n = 4) respectively. A significant reduction was found in the plasma VEGF levels 1 day after intravitreal injection of ranibizumab (P = 0.002). No significant differences were found between before and 1 week, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks after the injection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intravitreal ranibizumab reduced plasma VEGF levels 1 day after injection in infants with ROP. This effect disappeared 1 week after the injection. Intravitreal ranibizumab did not induce prolonged systemic VEGF suppression.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University People's Hospital, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Xicheng District, 100044, Beijing, China.|Key Laboratory of Vision Loss and Restoration, Peking University, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.|Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Therapy of Retinal and Choroid Diseases, Beijing, China.
authors: Ying
authors: Y
authors: Zhou
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University People's Hospital, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Xicheng District, 100044, Beijing, China. drjiangyr@gmail.com.|Key Laboratory of Vision Loss and Restoration, Peking University, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China. drjiangyr@gmail.com.|Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Therapy of Retinal and Choroid Diseases, Beijing, China. drjiangyr@gmail.com.
authors: Yanrong
authors: Y
authors: Jiang
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University People's Hospital, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Xicheng District, 100044, Beijing, China.|Key Laboratory of Vision Loss and Restoration, Peking University, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.|Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Therapy of Retinal and Choroid Diseases, Beijing, China.
authors: Yujing
authors: Y
authors: Bai
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University People's Hospital, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Xicheng District, 100044, Beijing, China.|Key Laboratory of Vision Loss and Restoration, Peking University, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.|Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Therapy of Retinal and Choroid Diseases, Beijing, China.
authors: Jing
authors: J
authors: Wen
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University People's Hospital, 11 Xizhimen South Street, Xicheng District, 100044, Beijing, China.|Key Laboratory of Vision Loss and Restoration, Peking University, Ministry of Education, Beijing, China.|Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Therapy of Retinal and Choroid Diseases, Beijing, China.
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001724:Birth Weight; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008297:Male; D000069579:Ranibizumab / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012178:Retinopathy of Prematurity / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000097:blood*; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000069579:Ranibizumab
keywords: Anti-VEGF therapy; Plasma VEGF; Ranibizumab; Retinopathy of prematurity