Association between Inflammatory Factors in the Aqueous Humor and Hyperreflective Foci in Patients with Intractable Macular Edema Treated with Antivascular Endothelial Growth Factor.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

To evaluate the correlations between the inflammatory factors in the aqueous humor and hyperreflective foci (HRF) in patients with intractable macular edema treated with antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF).

METHODS:

This study included 17 patients with intractable macular edema (ME) treated with anti-VEGF agents. Inflammatory factors in the aqueous humor were measured by the Cytometric Beads Array before injection, and the numbers of HRF pre- and post-anti-VEGF treatment were counted from four different directions (90 degrees, 45 degrees, 180 degrees, and 135 degrees) in the SD-OCT images, respectively, before treatment and one month after treatment. The correlations between inflammatory factors and the numbers of HRF were assessed.

RESULTS:

The numbers of HRF were reduced significantly after anti-VEGF treatment. The change in the HRFs at the 90-degree location was significantly positively correlated with IL-8 and VCAM-1. The change of all HRFs was significantly positively correlated with IL-8. The HRFs before the treatment also had a positive correlation with IL-8 and VCAM-1.

CONCLUSION:

After anti-VEGF treatment, the numbers of HRF in intractable ME declined greatly. The higher the levels of IL-8 and VCAM-1 before treatment, the more significant the reduction of HRF after anti-VEGF treatment, which indicated that HRF could be an effective noninvasive imaging indicator for evaluating the effect of anti-VEGF on intractable macular edema. The OCT images at the 90-degree location could better show the inflammatory reaction of patients and also had better clinical significance for the prognosis evaluation of ME associated with inflammation.

• Authors: Min Li, Jing Li, Kaichuan Chen, Jia Wang, Minjie Sheng, Bing Li
• Journal: Disease markers (Dis Markers) Vol. 2021 Pg. 5552824 ( 2021) ISSN: 1875-8630 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 34211611 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2021 Min Li et al.

Chemical References

• Angiogenesis Inhibitors
• CXCL8 protein, human
• Interleukin-8
• VEGFA protein, human
• Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A

Topics

• Aged
• Angiogenesis Inhibitors (administration & dosage, pharmacology)
• Aqueous Humor (diagnostic imaging, drug effects, immunology)
• Female
• Gene Expression Regulation (drug effects)
• Humans
• Interleukin-8 (metabolism)
• Macular Edema (diagnostic imaging, drug therapy, immunology)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Tomography, Optical Coherence
• Treatment Outcome
• Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 (metabolism)
• Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A (antagonists & inhibitors)