Retinal vascular changes and aqueous humor cytokines changes after aflibercept intravitreal injection in treatment-naïve myopic choroidal neovascularization

Sci Rep. 2018 Oct 23;8(1):15631. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-33926-6.

Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess retinal vascular changes using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and aqueous humour changes of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and placental growth factor (PIGF) levels in treatment-naïve myopic choroidal neovascularization (mCNV) after aflibercept intravitreal injection. To explore the correlation between clinical and laboratory parameters. Fifteen eyes of 15 patients with treatment-naïve mCNV underwent 2 intravitreal injections of aflibercept. Main outcome measures were best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), central retinal thickness (CRT) and external limiting membrane (ELM) visualization at OCT, lesion area and leakage at fluorescein angiography (FA), OCTA flow area and selected area at baseline and after the injections. Analysis of VEGF and PlGF in the aqueous humor was performed before each injection in cases and prior to cataract surgery on 10 patients as included as controls. Median BCVA increased from 0.6 to 0.3 logMAR (p < 0.001); CRT decreased from 387.5 to 267 micron (p < 0.001); FA area from 0.8 to 0.5 mm2 and OCTA area from 0.9 to 0.5 mm2 (p = 0.005). PIGF values changed from 1.8 to 1.4 pg/ml (p = 0.019) and VEGF values from 3.4 to 0.5 pg/ml (p = 0.008). A significant correlation was found after treatment between PIGF levels and BCVA (rho = 0.006) and VEGF levels and BCVA (rho = 0.018); between PlGF and CRT (rho = 0.020), PlGF and ELM visualization (rho = 0.002) and PlGF and FA leakage (rho < 0.001). Our results showed a significant reduction of mCNV area after aflibercept in both FA and OCTA measurements; an improvement of BCVA, and a reduction of VEGF and PIGF levels related to inactivity of the disease.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Aqueous Humor / metabolism*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Choroidal Neovascularization / complications*
  • Choroidal Neovascularization / drug therapy*
  • Cytokines / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Fluorescein Angiography
  • Humans
  • Intravitreal Injections
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myopia / complications*
  • Placenta Growth Factor / metabolism
  • Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / administration & dosage*
  • Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor / therapeutic use*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / administration & dosage*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / pharmacology
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / therapeutic use*
  • Retinal Vessels / pathology*
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / metabolism

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
  • Placenta Growth Factor
  • aflibercept
  • Receptors, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor