Abstract
Purpose: :
To examine whether the concentration of erythropoietin as a potent ischemia–induced angiogenic factor is increased in eyes with diabetic macular edema or exudative age–related macular degeneration.
Methods: :
The clinical comparative interventional study included 28 patients with diabetic macular edema, 59 patients with exudative age–related macular degeneration (AMD), and 49 patients with cataract. For all patients, aqueous humour was collected during cataract surgery or during an intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide. Erythropoietin levels were measured with the use of radioimmunoassay.
Results: :
In the diabetic group, the mean concentration of erythropoietin was significantly higher (60.1 ± 46.7 milli units/mL; p<0.001) than in the age–related macular degeneration group (22.9 ± 23.2 miili units / mL) and in the control group (22.0 ± 21.0 milli units / mL; p<0.001). The two latter groups did not vary significantly (p=0.41).
Conclusions: :
Erythropoietin may be present in considerably higher concentrations in eyes with diabetic macular edema than in eyes with exudative AMD or normal eyes.
Keywords: diabetic retinopathy • age-related macular degeneration • anterior chamber