The Study of Intraocular Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Concentration in Diabetic Retinopathy after Panretinal Photocoagulation

ABSTRACT

Vascular endothelial growth factor[VEGF] might play important roles in angiogenesis of diabetic retinopathy. Aim of this study is to determine the effect of panretinal photocoagulation[PRP] on the level of VEGF in intraocular fluid of proliferative diabetic retinopathy[PDR]. Aqueous humor was obtained during cataract surgery from 35 eyes of 35 patients with PDR and VEGF concentration was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay[ELISA]. Patients were classified into 4 groups according to total amount of panretinal photocoagulation[PRP][group Ano PRP, group B less than 1000 spots, group C 1000~1500 spots, group D more than 1500 spots] and VEGF level was analyzed in each group using Spearman's correlation coefficient by rank. Mean concentration of VEGF is 615pg/mlin group A, 307pg/mlin group B, 234 pg/mlin group C, and 136pg/mlin group D. The level of VEGF was significantly lower as total amount of PRP increased[p<0.05]. These findings suggest that therapeutic effect of PRP on PDR can be explained by the reduction of VEGF concentration in intraocular fluid.