Purpose: To investigate vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) level according to the clinical and imaging features, and to explore its relationship with the responsiveness to anti-VEGF treatment in eyes with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy.
Methods: Aqueous samples were collected from 62 eyes of 62 patients with treatment-naïve polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy. Vascular endothelial growth factor levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Baseline best-corrected visual acuity, central macular thickness, subfoveal choroidal thickness, greatest linear dimension of the lesion, and the presence of hemorrhage were included in the analysis. The effects of 3 monthly intravitreal ranibizumab injections on best-corrected visual acuity and central macular thickness were assessed.
Results: Baseline VEGF level was negatively correlated with subfoveal choroidal thickness (r = -0.33, P = 0.01). Other variables had no correlation with VEGF level. The mean change in central macular thickness after anti-VEGF treatment was -51 ± 64 μm, which is positively correlated with VEGF concentration (r = 0.30, P = 0.04) and negatively correlated with subfoveal choroidal thickness (r = -0.35, P = 0.02).
Conclusion: Vascular endothelial growth factor level demonstrated a negative correlation with baseline subfoveal choroidal thickness and was associated with response to anti-VEGF treatment. These findings suggest that VEGF has a variable contribution to the pathogenesis of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy depending on choroid thickness.