Plasma levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor before and after intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor

초록

Purpose: To examine the level of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the plasma of patients before and after an intravitreal injection of ranibizumab or bevacizumab. Methods: Total 22 patients with retinal disease were studied. The 13 eyes of 13 patients received an injection of bevacizumab (1.25mg), and the 9 eyes of 9 patients received an injection of ranibizumab (0.5mg). Samples of blood were collected just before the injection, and after 1day, 1 week, 1 month. The Concentration of anti-VEGF and VEGF in the plasma were measured by ELISA. Results: In bevacizumab group, the anti-VEGF concentration before the injection, after 1 day, 1 week, 1month was 110.1, 169.1, 215.6, 152.5 ng/ml (p=0.003, 0.001, 0.004, repectively), and VEGF concentration was 102.7, 54.8, 25.1, 37.0 pg/ml (p=0.101, 0.005, 0.007, respectively). In ranibizumab group, anti-VEGF concentration before the injection, after 1 day, 1 week, 1 month was 200.7, 149.3, 132.7, 155.4 ng/ml (p=0.086, 0.008, 0.066, respectively), and VEGF concentration was 48.0, 43.6, 85.9, 73.3 pg/ml (p=0.285, 0.214, 0.263, respectively). Conclusions: Intravitreally injected bevacizumab enters the systemic circulation and affect the VEGF levels, but ranibizumab cannot be found in systemic circulation and doesn’t affect the VEGF levels. Thus, we should carefully consider general condition of patients before and after an intravitreal injection of bevacizumab.