Abstract
Purpose :
To investigate complement activation product levels in aqueous humor of patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).
Methods :
Aqueous humor of 53 treatment naïve patients with nAMD were collected when they underwent anti-VEGF therapy for the first time. 35 age matched controls who underwent cataract surgery were also collected; mean age 74.0 years old, 73.2 years old, respectively. Each aqueous humor was collected before vitreous injection or cataract surgery. The levels of the complement activation products C3a, C4a, and C5a were measured by Cytometric Bead Array.
Results :
C3a, C4a and C5a levels in aqueous humor were 1.69±1.05 (mean ± standard deviation) ng/ml, 1.55±0.49 ng/ml, 3.05±3.89x10-2ng/ml respectively in the nAMD patients and 1.15±0.57 ng/ml, 1.17±0.41 ng/ml, 3.12±3.31x10-2ng/ml in the controls. There were significant differences in C3a (P<0.05) and C4a (P<0.05) levels between nAMD patients and controls, but no significant difference in C5a levels (P=0.87). When examining the correlation with age, C3a, C4a, and C5a levels in aqueous humor were increased with age in the nAMD eyes, but did not reach statistical significance.
Conclusions :
The complement activation product levels in aqueous humor is associated with nAMD.
This abstract was presented at the 2019 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Vancouver, Canada, April 28 - May 2, 2019.