title: Intraocular Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Levels in Pachychoroid Neovasculopathy and Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration.
abstract: To investigate the difference in intraocular vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentration between pachychoroid neovasculopathy and neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) and its associations with responses to three monthly anti-VEGF injections as an initial treatment for the two conditions.
  
  
  
  This study included nine eyes with treatment-naïve pachychoroid neovasculopathy and 21 eyes with treatment-naïve nAMD. Before the initial intravitreal anti-VEGF injection, aqueous humor samples were collected and the concentration of VEGF was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The concentration was compared between the two conditions, and its associations with responses to anti-VEGF therapy were investigated.
  
  
  
  The mean VEGF concentration in pachychoroid neovasculopathy was significantly lower than that in nAMD (63.4 ± 17.8 pg/ml and 89.8 ± 45.0 pg/ml, respectively; P = 0.035). The VEGF concentration was associated with the presence or absence of drusen (β = 0.503, P = 0.004). After anti-VEGF therapy, 6 (66.7%) of 9 eyes with pachychoroid neovasculopathy and 17 (81.0%) of 21 eyes with nAMD achieved dry macula (P = 0.640). Dry macula at 3 months and 12 months was significantly associated with a low VEGF concentration in pachychoroid neovasculopathy (P = 0.013 and P = 0.042, respectively), but not in nAMD (P = 0.108 and P = 0.219).
  
  
  
  The mean VEGF concentration in pachychoroid neovasculopathy was lower than that in nAMD, suggesting that the way in which VEGF is involved in angiogenesis may differ between pachychoroid neovasculopathy and nAMD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hata
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamashiro
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Sotaro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ooto
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oishi
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyata
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ueda-Arakawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Ayako
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Kagawa University Faculty of Medicine, Miki, Japan.
authors.forename: Akitaka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsujikawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Nagahisa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yoshimura
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000378:metabolism*; D020256:Choroidal Neovascularization / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D058449:Intravitreal Injections; D008266:Macula Lutea / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D000069579:Ranibizumab / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D057135:Wet Macular Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C533178:aflibercept; D040262:Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor; D000069579:Ranibizumab