title: The Systemic Blood Pressure and Oxygen Saturation in Retinal Arterioles Predict the Effect of Intravitreal Anti-VEGF Treatment on Diabetic Maculopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The advent of vascular endothelial VEGF antagonists has increased the therapeutic options for diabetic maculopathy considerably. However, there is a need to identify patients who respond favorably to the treatment from those in whom the treatment is less effective. The purpose of the present study was to test the hypothesis that the oxygen saturation in retinal vessels together with other risk factors can predict the effect of anti-VEGF treatment on diabetic maculopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 73 eyes from 53 patients with center-involving diabetic macular edema, multiple linear regression was used to evaluate the predictive value of oxygen saturation in larger retinal vessels together with age, diabetes duration, diabetes type, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), body mass index (BMI), previous retinal photocoagulation, visual acuity (VA), and central retinal thickness (CRT) before treatment as explanatory variables for VA and CRT after three monthly injections of anti-VEGF medication.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Anti-VEGF treatment induced a significant increase in VA and a significant decrease in CRT, but no significant changes in the overall oxygen saturation of larger retinal vessels. Visual acuity and CRT before treatment contributed significantly to predicting the same variable after treatment. Additionally, MAP and the oxygen saturation in retinal arterioles before treatment contributed significantly to predicting VA and CRT after treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MAP and oxygen saturation in retinal arterioles might potentially be included as parameters in risk models predicting the effect of anti-VEGF treatment in patients with diabetic maculopathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Toke
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bek
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus C, Denmark.
authors.forename: Christina Mørup
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Jørgensen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001160:Arterioles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000068258:Bevacizumab / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D014792:Visual Acuity
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D010100:Oxygen