title: Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Diabetic Retinal Disease.
abstract: Diabetic retinal disease remains a leading cause of blindness among working-aged adults around the world. Until this decade, laser photocoagulation for both proliferative diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema had been the standard of care for millions of patients. The introduction of vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors (anti-VEGF) and subsequent clinical trials demonstrating their efficacy for treatment of diabetic eye disease have established a new standard in treatment of center-involved diabetic macular edema that is highly specific to the pathologic process and highly effective in preserving and improving vision. This review focuses on clinically relevant developments that led to the shift from focal/grid laser photocoagulation to anti-VEGF injections in the treatment of center-involved diabetic macular edema (DME), with an overview of the disease pathophysiology, clinical disease course, and available anti-VEGF agents. This article also reviews the scientific evidence exploring the use of anti-VEGF agents in nonproliferative and proliferative diabetic retinopathy.
authors.affiliation: a Beetham Eye Institute, Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard Medical School , Boston , Massachusetts , USA.
authors.forename: Radwan S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Ajlan
authors.affiliation: a Beetham Eye Institute, Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard Medical School , Boston , Massachusetts , USA.
authors.forename: Paolo S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: a Beetham Eye Institute, Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard Medical School , Boston , Massachusetts , USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068258:Bevacizumab / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008269:Macular Edema / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000069579:Ranibizumab / Q000627:therapeutic use; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D052157:Aptamers, Nucleotide; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C495058:pegaptanib; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D000069579:Ranibizumab
keywords: Diabetic macular edema; diabetic retinopathy; vascular endothelial growth factor