Abstract
Purpose :
The presence of pachyvessels (PV) has been reported to be an important finding in exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD). We examined the relationship between PV and aqueous humor inflammatory cytokine concentrations in eyes with AMD.
Methods :
From November 2010 to August 2012, 48 eyes with AMD, which were administered three consecutive intravitreal injections of ranibizumab (IVR) at Japan Community Healthcare Organization Tokyo Shinjuku Medical Center were examined. Aqueous humor was collected just before the first IVR and the concentrations of CXCL1, IP-10, CXCL12, CXCL13, MCP-1, CCL11, IL-6, IL-10, and MMP-9 were measured by multiplex cytokine assay. Three experts reviewed the optical coherence tomography images at the first IVR and divided them into eyes with or without PV or not. When they disagreed, they discussed the diagnosis.
Results :
Thirteen eyes had PV and 35 eyes did not. Of eyes with or without PV, respectively, 9 vs 22 eyes (p = 0.7, Chi-square test) were male, 9 vs 18 eyes (p = 0.3) were diagnosed as having polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy, and 7 vs 18 eyes (p = 0.9) were dry at the third IVR. There was no significant difference in mean age (with PV vs without PV: 70 vs 79 years; p = 0.1, t-test), axial length (23 vs 23 mm; p = 0.9), logMAR best corrected visual acuity (0.48 vs 0.39; p = 0.5), or retinal thickness (500 vs 470 μm; p = 0.7). Mean choroidal thickness was 270 vs 220 μm (p = 0.03), respectively. Mean concentrations of CXCL1, IP-10, CXCL12, CXCL13, MCP-1, CCL11, IL-6, IL-10, and MMP-9 were respectively 9.0, 110, 510, 9.4, 630, 8.1, 6.3, 0.17, and 1.2 pg/mL in eyes with PV, and 6.5 (p = 0.4), 85 (p = 0.3), 420 (p = 0.004) ,8.6 (p = 0.7), 580 (0.5), 4.7 (p = 0.3), 0.11 (p = 0.01), 5.1 (p = 0.01), and 1.6 (p = 0.04) pg/mL in eyes without PV.
Conclusions :
In AMD, aqueous humor concentrations of IL-10 and CCL 11 are lower and the concentration of MMP-9 is higher in eyes with PV compared with eyes without PV.
This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2018 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Honolulu, Hawaii, April 29 - May 3, 2018.