title: Significant Correlation between Retinal Venous Tortuosity and Aqueous Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Concentration in Eyes with Central Retinal Vein Occlusion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether the degree of venous tortuosity is significantly correlated with the aqueous vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentration in eyes with a central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO).
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed the medical records of 32 eyes of 32 patients who had macular edema due to a CRVO. All of the patients were examined at the Nagoya University Hospital and were scheduled to receive an intravitreal injection of bevacizumab (IVB) or ranibizumab (IVR) within 12 weeks of the onset of the CRVO to treat the macular edema. Aqueous humor was collected just before the IVB or IVR, and the VEGF concentration was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The venous tortuosity index was calculated by dividing the length of the retinal veins by the chord length of the same segment. The correlation between the mean tortuosity index of the inferotemporal and supratemporal branches of the retinal vein and the aqueous VEGF concentration was determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean aqueous VEGF concentration was 384 ± 312 pg/ml with a range of 90 to 1077 pg/ml. The degree of venous tortuosity was significantly correlated with the VEGF concentration in the aqueous. (r = 0.49, P = 0.004), with the foveal thickness (r = 0.40, P = 0.02), and with the best-corrected visual acuity (r = 0.38, P = 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The significant correlation between the aqueous VEGF concentration and the venous tortuosity indicates that the degree of retinal venous tortuosity can be used to identify eyes that are at a high risk of developing neovascularization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsuruma-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan.
authors.forename: Shunsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yasuda
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsuruma-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan.
authors.forename: Shu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kachi
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-175 Edobashi, Tsu, 514-8507, Japan.
authors.forename: Mineo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsuruma-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ueno
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsuruma-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsuruma-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Terasaki
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000068258:Bevacizumab / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D000069579:Ranibizumab / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012169:Retinal Vein / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D012170:Retinal Vein Occlusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D000069579:Ranibizumab