Ocular pulse amplitude and retinal vessel caliber changes after intravitreal ranibizumab

Int Ophthalmol. 2015 Oct;35(5):657-62. doi: 10.1007/s10792-014-9991-z. Epub 2014 Sep 4.

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of intravitreal ranibizumab on ocular pulse amplitude (OPA) and retinal vessel caliber (RVC) in wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Thirty-two eyes of 32 wet AMD patients were included in this case series. Three consecutive monthly injections of ranibizumab were performed. The OPA was measured with the Pascal dynamic contour tonometer. RVC measurements were taken with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Pre-injection mean OPA value was 2.55 ± 0.76 mmHg and post-injections mean OPA value was 2.79 ± 0.88 mmHg at the last visit (p = 0.10). Pre-injection mean arteriole and venule RVC were 96.7 ± 9.4 and 125.9 ± 8.4 µm; while post-injections arteriole and venule RVC were 96.0 ± 8.7 and 125.6 ± 8.9 µm, respectively (p > 0.05). OPA and RVC are unchanged after triple intravitreal ranibizumab injections, indicating that this treatment does not significantly alter gross retina-choroidal vasculature and hemodynamics.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Fluorescein Angiography
  • Humans
  • Intraocular Pressure / physiology
  • Intravitreal Injections
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pulse
  • Ranibizumab / therapeutic use*
  • Regional Blood Flow / physiology
  • Retinal Vessels / drug effects*
  • Retinal Vessels / pathology
  • Retinal Vessels / physiopathology
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence
  • Tonometry, Ocular
  • Wet Macular Degeneration / drug therapy*
  • Wet Macular Degeneration / physiopathology

Substances

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitors
  • Ranibizumab